NMCC students, alumni kick off mentor program
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Maine Community College students and alumni came together recently for the inauguration of the mentoring program initiated by the college’s Alumni and Friends Organization.
The gathering coincided with National Mentoring Month, a campaign held in January to promote youth mentoring in the United States. The Alumni and Friends Organization invited students to an informal dinner gathering to share experiences of their educational choices, personal and career goals and to lend a listening ear.
The program’s purpose is to form relationships between students and alumni, and to provide role models for students in various fields.
“The alumni group was very excited to share time and experience with current Northern Maine Community College students,” said Mark Bouchard, Alumni and Friends president. “Having been in their shoes, we understand the pressures of being a student, some of us having to juggle jobs or the obligations of family—just like a number of today’s students.”
“We’re grateful to have alumni who are willing to be present for our students and lend them moral support and good advice,” said NMCC President Tim Crowley. “Our alumni have gone on to be successful nurses, businesspeople and technicians to name just a few. Their experiences and know-how are priceless and can help direct our students today as they make important career and life decisions. Our students are very fortunate to have this caring group of people lending them support and encouragement.”
The Alumni and Friends Organization expects this to be the first of a number of mentoring activities and is looking forward to growth of the program.
