Eight student from nearby Whittier High School (WHS) were on campus today as part of the Whittier Scholars' College and Community Mentoring Program. The high schoolers were joined by mentors from the College on a tour of campus, an information session, and lunch at the Campus Inn.
In all, 10 Whittier College sophomores and juniors and 12 WHS seniors are participating in the pilot project, which began last spring, funded through a grant from the B.C. McCabe Foundation. The mentoring program is a collaborative effort between Whittier College, Whittier High School and the Whittier Union High School District.
"Whittier College students can provide Whittier High School students with tremendous support and encouragement as they wend their way through the college application process, so it just made sense to start a program that linked the two student groups," said Christina Moreno-Donato, advisor to the Whittier Scholars' off-campus programs. "We wanted to target the students who were not in a college mentoring program — the ones on the fence that need that little extra push."
According to WHS Principal Lori Eshilian, the mission of WHS is to have every student meet the requirements to attend a four-year college or university. "Through the Whittier College mentor program, we hope to give students the added boost of peer support to help them attain admission to the colleges of their choice."
