Mentorship

RTE Mentorship Program

While RTE provides financial resources to socio-economically disadvantaged Palo Alto High School graduates, we also strive to provide non-financial support. The RTE Mentorship Program was established to formalize the ways in which we support our RTE Scholars.
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Financial resources alone are not always enough to ensure a smooth transition from high school to college and beyond, particularly for low-income students. By offering support beyond just scholarships, we hope to ensure the success of our scholars.

Currently, the RTE Mentorship Program consists of 6 components which work together to support our students: Ongoing Check-ins, One-on-One Mentoring, Career Networking, Community Building, Workshops and Individualized Coaching, and Mental Health Services; each as described below. Depending on resources, RTE may modify, augment, or discontinue any of these services. Join the Discord group for updates.

Community Member Mentorship

RTE scholars are assigned an adult mentor who will become a regular part of the student's life and provide check-ins with each person from the time they graduate from high school and continue through college graduation and beyond. These mentoring relationships and check-ins not only provide a way for RTE to understand the student’s journey, but also allow for us to provide additional guidance and support as needed.

Community Building

Part of the benefit of RTE is inclusion in a group of young adults who can relate to some of the same challenges that you may face in your own journey.  To foster a sense of community, RTE provides different ways to meet your peers.

  • Discord Server - a way to allow our RTE scholars to connect with each other, a Discord Server group has been set up. Please check it out at https://discord.gg/6GTGBuuDxs.

  • Panel Discussions - our RTE Alumni  holds panel discussions on topics of interest to our community. 

  • Events - We hold in person events to bring our students together in an informal setting such as picnics and movie nights.

Peer Mentorship

If you are a current RTE Scholar in college, we try to pair you with an RTE Alumni Scholar (a recent college graduate) who will be a peer mentor. The Alumni have gone through the program and can provide guidance on how best to navigate the challenges of college life. To apply to have a mentor assigned to you, please fill out the application form  and we will get in touch once a mentor has been identified.

Workshops and Individualized Coaching

We hold workshops on specific topics such as Financial Literacy, Resume Writing, Navigating Linked-In, and How to Network. These will be publicized via email and will be hosted by various members in the community.

​Cathy Caday, Assistant Vice President at TechCU credit union, has generously offered to volunteer her time and expertise to RTE. She has over 20 years of banking experience, has taught a networking seminar at SJ State, and has helped many organizations in the community. To schedule a session, please reach out to Cathy directly via email or phone: (408) 306-2202. Book your appointment Today

  • Networking Session - A virtual session (30 minutes) that will cover networking etiquette and how to make connections.

  • Interviewing Session - A virtual session (60 to 90 minutes) that will allow you to practice interviewing for a specific role and get feedback on how best to present yourself. 

Wondering How to Participate?

Please reach out to board members Pallavi Homan or Kimberly Schwan if you have any questions about how to take advantage of any of the opportunities listed above.

Got an idea? We would love to hear from you about what would be most helpful to you. Please reach out to Pallavi Homan if you have ideas on how to improve the RTE Mentorship Program offering.

rte_mentorship_program_brochure.pdf

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Jobs and Career Networking

As you work with our Mentors in our one-on-one check-in discussions, we can put you in touch with community members who work in the field which you hope to pursue. Taking advantage of these connections is an excellent way to identify and pursue career opportunities.

Free Mental Health Services

Palo Alto University eClinic offers free video therapy with student clinicians who are training to become licensed counselors and psychologists in California. The sessions are scheduled directly with students when it is convenient for you to talk. All that is required is that complete the brief  form here: Interest Form or on their website here: https://www.paloaltou.edu/eclinic

​In the form, you will be asked to identify as a Rise Together Education scholar but the only information shared with Rise Together Education is the number of our students (no names) that took advantage of the service. Everything else is confidential! We are excited to offer you this opportunity for support and hope you will take advantage of the chance to have a therapist available to you by your computer or smartphone!