The Ripple Effect of Mentoring

Nyamal Chuol ’27 is a Public Health major with an Environmental Science minor working as a USF Rising Youth Mentor. Providing guidance for the next generation is a way of breaking down the same barriers that she had experienced just a few years earlier. With empathy, Nyamal puts herself in the mentees’ shoes and supports them in more ways than one. 

My time working as a Leo T. McCarthy USF Rising Youth Mentor has been a transformative experience for me. I’ve been given the opportunity to collaborate with middle school-aged youth, working with them academically through homework support and culturally through curated activities with the guidance of a program teacher. While initially nervous because of my lack of mentoring experience, I grew confident in my ability to lead and listen to the students and get to know them beyond mentor and mentee. As someone who’s not from the Bay, I find this experience to be enriching and it encourages me to interact with the San Francisco community with intent. 

I enjoy my Thursdays at the Booker T. Washington Community Center. The days are structured around the students with efforts to transition them from an overwhelming curriculum to an individualized-style afterschool program. Our days are casual, with the main focus being educational time, which includes reading or studying, followed by a group bonding session where the teacher asks the class a guiding question that encourages group discussion on relevant and current topics. A favorite continuous activity of mine has been writing a song with the students. I love seeing the creativity flowing through each mentee! Music has always interested me, so fostering creative thinking interactively and collaboratively is truly the best of both worlds for me. 

With each mentoring day, I’m reminded about why I chose to be a mentor. My own experience with the school-to-college transition had been tough. No one in my family had gone to a traditional 4-year institution, so I was left clueless in my journey. The lack of career exploration and guidance left me anxious about secondary education. When I applied to the Leo T. McCarthy USF Rising Youth Mentorship, I thought about the ripple effect that could occur for these students in their education. Being the support in their education breaks down barriers that I’ve previously struggled to surpass, and gives the mentees a perspective on school they hadn’t had before. 

I’m forever grateful that I’m able to participate in a program like USF Rising Youth Mentorship because it goes beyond homework help and writing lyrics. It’s an opportunity to expose students to education past their traditional schooling while providing them with a helping hand when needed. The mentorship program has given me confidence that first-hand guidance will be the foundation of the student’s future, being a reference point for cooperation, imagination, and support in their lives. This experience has not only deepened my connection to the community but also strengthened my drive to keep making meaningful impacts on others who can benefit from guidance and support, like younger me.

The next generation is ready to make way for change! To help support our students in becoming the next ethical leaders, donate here!