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In The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, a young African American youth feels unwanted and unaccepted. After a difficult time, she gains a sense of love, acceptance and positive self-esteem. American and international students of color may have similar feelings of isolation and fear of the unknown. In order to provide support in the field, the Alumni of Color Standing Committee has developed a mentor program.
What is a Mentor? A Mentor can be...
- A person of color who wants to develop an informal supportive relationship with a student of color in their community.
- A person of color who would like to provide encouragement and motivation during the field placement term.
- A former Smith student and person of color who can validate today's Smith student experience in a personal way.
- A person who may develop an informal "kinship family" with a student.
- A person who can appreciate, acknowledge, and accept a student's ethnic and cultural background.
- A person who may share information and resources on social work professional development (e.g., networking, career options, referral information).
- A professional social worker who can provide a positive role model for identification.
- An alumna/us who can share the "Smith Experience" in a nurturing, caring, empathic, and enjoyable way.
- A person who may provide day-to-day concrete information about the field placement city to the student (e.g., public transportation system, affordable restaurants, child-care resources, medical facilities, etc.).
- Whatever combination or variation of the above descriptions that arises in the relationship of a student and mentor.
What the Mentor is not:
- The Mentor does not provide official, formal monitoring or evaluation of the field placement or of the relationship between student, FFA, and the supervisor; he or she does not serve as a student's research advisor.
- The Mentor does not provide financial support to the student.
Mentor Matching:
Students and alumni of color will be matched, as directed by the student, by geographic proximity, availability of alumni of color, and best fit between the needs of the student and interest of the alumna/us.
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Mission
Executive Committee Representatives
Alumni of Color
Standing Committee
Mission (pdf)
Committee Members
Mentor Program
Crosslinks Newsletter
Summer 2006
Summer 2005
Alumni Student Network
1918 Fellowship Society
Volunteering at SSW
Nominations and Awards
Honorary Alumni
Previous Honorary Alumni
Chronology of Executive Committee Members
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