Join Our Mentor 2 College Program This Summer
The NELA® Centers for Student SuccessSM Mentor 2 College® program will help you become a successful college applicant. Within this free program, we conduct informational meetings, college preparation workshops and community activities. During this program you will:
- Learn to choose the right college for you.
- Complete college applications.
- Apply for scholarships.
- Understand financial aid.
- Create a college plan.
The summer Mentor 2 College begins July 11 and is offered in both our Portland and Seattle locations. Download an application here. For information about our Seattle program, please email washingtoncenter@nela.net. To learn more about our Portland program, please email oregoncenter@nela.net.
Helping Others Can Help You
Summertime is here. You may have thoughts of lounging with friends all summer, but have you considered volunteering? Volunteering has a positive impact on your community, and it can benefit you too.
Volunteer experience is a positive addition to your college applications. Keep in mind, though, that colleges are not just looking for a list of organizations and dates. They want to see a complete picture of you, and real examples of your commitment, dedication and interests. Rather than spread yourself too thin, show your dedication to one or two activities.
Reasons to volunteer
- Gain valuable life experiences and skills. Whether you build houses for the homeless or mail fliers for a local politician, you can experience the real world through hands-on work. You also can use this experience to explore your major or career interests.
- Meet interesting people. Volunteering brings together a variety of people. Both the recipients of your volunteer efforts and your co-workers can be rich sources of insight. For example, maybe you'll learn about the legal profession from a former lawyer you visit at a convalescent center.
- Show colleges who you are. Colleges pay attention to your life inside and outside the classroom. Your extracurricular activities reveal a great deal about you, such as what your interests are, whether you can manage your priorities and maintain a long-term commitment, what diversity you'd bring to the student body, and how you've made a contribution to something.
How to get involved
There are many people, places and organizations that need volunteers. Here's how to get started:
- Look for programs based in your community. Call and ask if they need help.
- Visit your town's website. It may list volunteer opportunities in your area.
- Contact your local United Way, a local cultural arts association, your student organization, or similar associations that can point you in the right direction.
- Ask libraries, religious organizations and community colleges if they sponsor any volunteer groups.
- Check out the following websites to learn more about causes and to find volunteer opportunities near you:
Before you volunteer
It's important that you enjoy the type of service you choose and that you have the time to stick with it. Ask yourself these questions before you get involved with an organization.
- How much time do I have to commit?
- Do I want an ongoing, regularly scheduled assignment; a short-term assignment; or a one-time assignment?
- Am I willing to participate in a training course?
- What skills can I offer?
- What would I most like to learn by volunteering?
- What don't I want to do as a volunteer?
- Do I want to work alone or with a group?
Center for Student Success Programs Nurture Educational Potential
Growing up in foster care, starting at the age of 6 Joshua Griggs lived in 11 different homes and attended nine different schools before graduating in 2006 from Benson Polytechnic High in Portland, Ore.
He always felt behind in his studies, he says, and, at the time, his 2.7 grade point average and SAT scores were barely enough to gain him provisional admission to college.
Today, nearly five years later at age 23, he has graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work and will be attending graduate school at the University of Washington in the fall. His GPA is 3.5, and he has had three internships and a work-study job. He also supports himself as a motivational speaker and foster care advocate. His long-term goal: to have a positive impact on the lives of children and families.
He credits supportive people — including those at the NELA Center for Student Success — for helping him get where he is today.
'My second home'
When he was a junior in high school, Griggs was introduced to the Center at the grand opening of the NELA Center for Student Success in Portland. He attended workshops at the Center during the summer, and then visited nearly every day after school the following year. He used Center resources to research careers and determine what college opportunities might be right for him. He searched for scholarships, and he received help in completing applications and editing college-admission essays.
"During high school, NELA was my second home," Griggs says. "NELA gave me the tools — the nuts and bolts — to really put everything together."
When he gained provisional admission to Portland State University, staff at the Center helped him navigate the process and steered him to the right people to talk to on campus.
They also provided assistance with finding and applying for financial aid. He obtained enough grants and scholarships to cover nearly all his college costs. This financial assistance was crucial because Griggs has lived on his own since he was 19.
Key to success
"NELA had a lot to do with reaching out and touching my life. It was my support," Griggs says. "Services that NELA offers are key to the success of young people — especially those with backgrounds like mine. NELA staff encouraged me to push myself, told me I had potential and helped steer me in a direction that really benefited me in the end."
Giving back
Griggs currently is helping other young people access the services that have helped him to pursue his own education and career goals. For the last four years, he has had a Federal Work-Study position at the Center for Student Success, helping other students research college opportunities, complete applications and access scholarship information. He also visits high schools and runs workshops for the center.
"It's so important for high school students to see someone like Josh who has been successful in college in the face of some pretty substantial odds," says Jennifer Satalino, manager for Portland center. "We are so proud of his accomplishments and grateful to him for being a role model and positive influence for today's high school youth."
Even while working at NELA, Griggs still has received some guidance from Satalino and others — primarily with editing his graduate school admission essays and providing letters of recommendation. He plans to study social work and public administration in graduate school either at the University of Washington in the fall.
"Along the journey of life, especially when it's a treacherous journey, you need someone to guide you," he says. "NELA was there for me."