I decided to join College Mentors for Kids at Butler University this semester as a fun way to get more involved on campus while also being able to spend time mentoring kids. This past summer, I got to be a camp counselor for Indy Parks, and it was one of the best experiences of my life! I loved the opportunities I had to build meaningful relationships with the campers, and I went home each day with such a full heart. When camp eventually ended and I got back to campus in the fall, I found College Mentors to be the perfect organization to get involved with, as it allowed me to have those same mentoring relationships while at Butler.

Essentially, College Mentors for Kids is a program that allows students from local Indianapolis schools to be paired with a mentor here at Butler. Every week, us mentors work alongside our little buddies as they discover the power of learning and mentoring through fun activities! These activities focus on topics ranging from education and careers, to community service, and even to diversity and culture. The goal of College Mentors is to, “connect kids to college students through weekly on-campus activities that inspire growth, confidence, and brighter futures.” This is such an amazing program that has made such a positive impact on the lives of so many, including myself!

This semester I have been a virtual mentor, meaning that each week, I get on Zoom with my “Rhino” family and we spend an hour together learning, playing games, and having fun! My little buddies’ names are Zion and Rahan, and it has been a privilege getting to spend quality time with them each Wednesday. They are always so enthusiastic for our meetings, whether they talk about their days at school, tell us about the movie they are excited to see over the weekend, or even when they show off their pets. I can always count on having a good time at my College Mentors meetings, and the boys have told us how much they appreciate the time we have together as a mentor family.

Being a mentor has been a fantastic experience so far, and I can’t wait to continue being involved in this life-changing program! College Mentors is completely funded through fundraisers like mine so that all little buddies can have access to the program, worry-free. If you have made it this far, it would mean the world to me if you would consider donating to this program I have become so passionate about!