University Receives Grant to Support Minority Mentoring Program
Feb 17, 2005 | University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
The University of Dubuque recently received a $4,000 grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation to support the development of a community-based Minority Mentoring Program.
This new initiative will pair students from underrepresented populations with minority mentors in the local Dubuque business community who will serve as role models and offer their expertise, counsel, and assistance to our students.
"This is a wonderfully exciting opportunity for our students to connect with members of the local Dubuque business community in a very special and meaningful way, one that serves both the community and the students' overall educational experience," commented Tammy Walsh, dean of student life.
The University's Mission- Vision- Action Statement guides campus developments and planning, a key element of which is a commitment to building a "community where diversity is appreciated." With 18.6 percent of the undergraduate population comprised of students from emerging and underserved populations, the Minority Mentoring Program is an essential element in aiding students' assimilation into both the University and the Dubuque communities.
Beginning in the fall of 2005, the University plans to recruit minority mentors for the program. Students will be matched with a mentor based on their vocational interests. Mentors will provide these UD students with opportunities for job-shadowing, meeting the mentor's colleagues for networking possibilities, jointly attending a business meeting and a luncheon as well as attending a workshop or a conference. Each mentor will also be encouraged to provide additional learning experiences for the student related to their specific business and areas of expertise.
The project matches with the Alliant Energy Foundation's priority to work with partners in building an "educated and skilled workforce," as well as its civic interest in "community involvement, economic development, & job training, retention and placement, or initiatives that seek to improve the overall quality of community life."
