FOCUS is a structured mentorship program designed to offer first and second year undergraduate students who identify as first generation college students and/or students of color (African American/Black, Arab American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic American, Native American/American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Biracial/Multiracial) the opportunity to develop relationships with NYU Alumni, Faculty, Staff, Graduate Students or other professionals who can serve as resources and/or advocates through establishing an ongoing mentoring relationship.
The program assists students in creating a foundation on NYU’s campus through; opportunities for leadership development, connecting students to The Center and other NYU resources, creating unity among all participants and ultimately support the educational and personal success of FOCUS Mentees.
FOCUS Mentees and Mentors are selected through the application process and are paired accordingly after each application has been reviewed. FOCUS Staff identify points of correlation between applicants to best match areas of support that potential mentors can provide to each student. Although the program can be a resource for career development, students are not primarily matched with mentors based on career interests. Mentors are selected to provide students with the opportunity to develop an ongoing relationship that promotes personal growth, retention, and that will continue beyond the time span of the program.
- Application deadlines is Friday, September 28, 2012.
FOCUS Mentorship Program Objectives:
- To connect Mentees to resources available at New York University.
- To aid students in developing positive connections within the broader NYU community.
- To create a positive support system for academic success, professional and social development.
Program requirements:
- This is program is for the full academic year.
- Attend ALL FOCUS group events, beginning with the opening reception on Tuesday, October 23.
- Establish and maintain monthly face-to-face meetings between Mentors and Mentees.
- Maintain a biweekly communication schedule (email, phone calls) between Mentors and Mentees.
- Complete program surveys & other assessment materials.
Thoughts from a Mentor/Mentee Pair, Fall 2009
“My initial fear was that I would not have enough to contribute to my mentee considering that I am still in the early stages of my career. I was relieved to find out that Kelsie and I actually share some important common experiences; she is headed in a similar career path that I had taken as an undergraduate and of course we're both from Southern California. At the very least, I should be able to help her acclimate to the weather. But in all honesty, it's great hearing about her experiences and sharing how some of my college experiences paralleled. I think that we'll both learn a lot from each other in the coming year.” – Mark, mentor
“My experience thus far with my mentor Mark has been great. Since we're both from Southern California, we can both relate to being far from home and being in such a big city. He's been able to give me tons of advice as far as preparing for the winter, being homesick, and things of that nature. Which is all very helpful for me since this is my first time being in this type of atmosphere. Further more, Mark has also been able to give me advice about NYU, about his job at the CENTER, and about NYU's Graduate Programs. I look forward to getting to know him even more and learning from him throughout this next semester. I'm glad that I signed up for the FOCUS Mentorship!” – Kelsie, mentee
