Women of Color mentoring program launches at BBC

The Women’s Center runs several programs for female students intended to support their intellectual, professional, social and emotional growth while at FIU.

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, dozens of students and mentors convened at Biscayne Bay Campus to kick off the Women of Color mentoring program. Developed by the Women’s Center, with input from Student Government Association at BBC, the program matches female BBC students with faculty and staff in order to form mentor relationships for the professional and personal development of the student.

Meredith Morgan, coordinator for the Women’s Center, implemented the program.

“It’s really important for our students to feel connected and supported,” Morgan said. “My goal with this program is to pair students with faculty and staff who can provide support, encouragement and advice on multiple levels. We know that our students face multiple challenges while in school and having a support system is critical in overcoming barriers to academic success.”

Research shows that women of color have lower retention rates than their white counterparts. Morgan points to several studies that show mentor programs can improve retention rates, particularly amongst minority students.

The Women of Color Mentoring program will host monthly lunches with different discussion topics, such as health, networking and mapping your career path. Mentors and mentees will also meet outside of these to create personal, professional and academic goals. The program attempts to match students and mentors based on majors and professional fields.

Due to a large interest from students at BBC, the Women’s Center is currently seeking additional mentors who can attend monthly lunches and meet with mentees at least once per month. Please contact Meredith Morgan, mermorga@fiu.edu if you would like to volunteer as a mentor.