March 2021!
The Mentor Resource Hub (MRH)
Tap into our Mentor Resource Hub (MRH) where you will find our program's extensive collection of Mentor resources, including:
COVID-19 Resources for Scholars; Mentor Program Calendar; Mentor Staff and Lead Contact Info; and Scholar Internship, Job, & Scholarship Opportunities
Use the password: mentors4OP to login.
Women's History Month
March is National Women's History Month! We take this time to elevate the incredible voices and accomplishments of women across time and space. As MENTOR wrote, "Young women in this country have and continue to face a unique set of challenges, and for some, these are layered atop other forms of systemic discrimination. But time and time again, they have persisted and broken-down barriers, uniting with and learning from both older and younger generations of women." We believe in and are inspired by the continued resilience and power of the women in our community and across the country.
See below for MENTOR's full statement on Women's History Month, their past campaigns on mentoring stories from prominent women and a list of recommended books for Women's History Month.
March Theme:
Resumes and Cover Letters
With summer just a few months away, many internship and job opportunities are taking applications! Now is a great time for Scholars to review their resumes and past cover letters, and begin applying to the many opportunities available this month (some linked at the bottom of this newsletter!). We understand that producing a good resume and a well-written cover letter are basic requirements for a successful job search. They play a critical role in helping employers understand who the applicant is, what motivates them, and what they have to offer as a potential employee.
Our Advising Team has developed a resource guide on creating a successful resume and cover letter. We encourage you to review the guide and share its tips and resources in a discussion with your Scholar.
General Announcements:
New Mentor Team Staff Caseload Divisions
Last Thursday (2/25), we shared the new Mentor Program staff caseload distributions for Winter 2021. Effective March 1st, the Mentor Program staff member assigned to the following Mentor Teams has changed to the following:
Laney/COA~ Gaby Perez
BCC/other CC ~ Gaby Perez
Merritt College ~ Gaby Perez
HBCU ~ Damani Wilson
UCSC ~ Damani Wilson
Pvt/West ~ Harmela Beyene
Please note that all other Mentor Team caseloads, Mentor Program Staff and Mentor Lead caseloads remain unchanged. Below you will find a complete list of Mentor Teams by Program Staff and Mentor Leads. If you interested in leveraging your experience and passion for mentoring by becoming a Mentor Lead, check out the Mentor Lead Description below and reach out to your Mentor Program Staff lead!
OP-Hosted Career Panels
The first of our three OP-hosted Career Panels was held on Thursday, February 25th (link to recording below). Its theme 'Health Is Wealth" centered around the Health and Medical professions. A big thank you to all of the Mentors who attended, encouraged their Scholars to attend, and helped to make it a success. Special thanks to Allyson Purcell, who sat on the panel and helped us find another fantastic panelist. Additionally, Ptv/East Mentor Lead York Prado helped fill the panel through a family connection (Thanks, Patric!) The remaining panels are on the fourth Thursday of March and April. See the themes indicated on the flyers above. If you have career experience in any of the named career fields (or similar), you can volunteer as a potential panelist here up to two weeks before the panel date. If your Scholar is interested in any of these fields, encourage them to RSVP.
TODAY - Financial Aid Priority Deadline
Today, March 2nd, is the priority deadline for FAFSA and DREAM Act! All students must apply for FAFSA or DREAM Act in order to receive financial aid for the 2021-2022 academic year. Our OP Advising Team is hosting one final virtual Financial Aid Support Session today from 4 PM - 8 PM. If your student has any questions or needs support, they should reach out to advising@oaklandpromise.org.
Annual Survey Announcement
This month, our Monthly Mentor-Scholar Interaction Survey will include our Annual Mentor Survey. You will find this combined survey in your inbox on March 8th! By completing both parts of the survey, you will help us better understand your expectations and experiences, which will inform our programming for the upcoming year. Be sure to also let us know what's working in your Mentor-Scholar relationship, as well as what additional supports OP can provide you with. This survey will close on 3/14 at 11:59pm. We look forward to your responses!
Mentor Recruitment
We see the work you are doing to help us recruit more Mentors. Currently, referrals from current Oakland Promise Mentors make up about 10% of this year's applicant pool! Can we make it 25%? Our recruitment cycle ends in early May. This is the home stretch! With just over 100 current applicants, we need around 60 more to reach our target. Together, we will get this done! We encourage you to share the above graphic far and wide, along with the link to our interest form (bit.ly/RecruitOP). You can still also use the suggested language and resources on the recruiting promotional guide. If you’d like to get involved in a bigger way, please contact damani@oaklandpromise.org.
Monthly Mentor Huddles
Thanks to everyone who was able to attend our Reconnecting and Resetting Mentor Huddles in January and February. As we look ahead, we invite you to join us for our next Mentor Huddles in April and May. We encourage you to take the opportunity to connect and share with other Mentors. Our next Mentor Huddle will be on April 22nd at 12PM and will be centered on Community College Resources. The following Mentor Huddle will be on May 20th at 12PM and will be themed A Year In Review: What’s Next. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Mentor Huddles!
Reminders for your Scholars
Wind River Summer Internships
Wind River is still hiring! The Alameda-based software company has 18 summer internship spots across a number of fields, and wants to fill them all with Oakland Promise Scholars! The opportunities are open to students at 4-year universities with a projected graduation year of '22 or '23. If that's your Scholar, encourage them to apply! The jobs are in computer science, sales, marketing, human resources, and customer service. Wind River is holding informational sessions (including today 3/2 at 2PM!) with Oakland Promise to help Scholars learn more about the opportunities. Make sure your Scholar is aware of this exciting opportunity! If your Scholar has any questions, they should email jeremy@oaklandpromise.org.
Turnitin Summer Internship Program
Turnitin, a global EdTech company, is hiring interns for this upcoming summer! This is a software engineering role. Scholars majoring in Computer Science, Mathematics or similar who are set to graduate from a 4-year institution by June 2022 are eligible. It is a 10-week program, running from June 21, 2021 to August 27, 2021. If your Scholar is eligible, be sure to encourage them to apply! They can do so by emailing their resume to internship@turnitin.com. A cover letter is not required, but Oakland Promise encourages them! See below for more information about the role and application process. Note that these applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. It helps to apply sooner rather than later!
NASA Internships
Mentors please encourage your STEM Scholars to apply for the NASA Summer 2021 internship opportunity before the March 5th deadline! This opportunity is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at an accredited college or university. No prior experience required!
APIAVote Internship
The APIAVote Internship Program strives to encourage and cultivate young AAPI student leaders to explore a career in the public sector or the political arena. This internship program will also provide hands-on experience and training on how to organize and implement voter activities to increase the participation of AAPIs in the electoral process. Summer interns will receive a $2,500 stipend for this 10-week internship program. Applications are due at 11:59pm on March 19th.
OP Black Excellence Grant
In partnership with Harlem Children Zone, the Oakland Promise is launching our Black Excellence Grant, to support Oakland Black/African-American Scholars in achieving their post-secondary goals. Oakland Promise believes in an Oakland community without barriers to equity, and we hope this grant can provide additional financial support to our Black youth. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis -- encourage your Scholar to apply today!
OP Youth Organizer Grant
This week, we are launching the Oakland Promise Youth Organizer Grant. This grant is open to Oakland youth of any age seeking to start or continue efforts of community service and leadership within Black or other underserved communities of color. Any youth in Oakland engaged in activism in service of the Black and/or underserved communities of color, or to youth-led nonprofit organizations or initiatives are encouraged to apply. If you know any Oakland youth who fit this criteria, encourage them to apply today!
Mentor Reminders
Stay Connected with the Community
Our Oakland Promise Google Group is the perfect platform to receive and share job, internship, scholarship, and other academic opportunities for our Scholars. From the “My Groups” page, you can control when and if to receive email updates from the Group as well as how to opt out of the Group.
Join today!
We want to hear from YOU!
What moments stand out for you? How are you growing as a Mentor?
Each Mentor-Scholar relationship is unique, and sharing it can help others - including New Mentors - learn about what to expect, how to manage their expectations, how to celebrate successes, and more.
Mentor Leads Needed
We are seeking 1-2 Mentor Leads and/or Co-Leads to support the following teams: BCC & Other Community Colleges, HBCU, NorCal, SoCal, CSUEB, UCSC and Laney/College of Alameda. Mentor Leads are helpful, committed and experienced folks who want to support their Mentor teammates.
Apply today below!
This Month, We're Reading..
"California's Black students benefited greatly from college policy changes. Advocates have more ideas"
Nanette Asimov, February 23, 2021, SF Chronicle
