Pullias Center’s ‘I AM’ Program Receives Additional Funding and Seeks Mentors

The Pullias Center’s Increasing Access via Mentoring (I AM) program has received two additional funding sources and is currently looking for mentors to participate.

I AM is an action-based intensive mentoring model where University of Southern California faculty, staff, and graduate students guide underserved students, not participating in any other college outreach programs, through the college and financial aid application processes, and helps develop students’ writing and non-cognitive skills.  I AM also includes SummerTIME, a program hosted on the USC campus that provides writing and college knowledge development and financial literacy  for rising high-school seniors and recent graduates, increasing the likelihood that participating college-bound students follow through on commencement in the fall.

I AM was awarded a $27,000 USC Good Neighbors Grant which provides one-year grants to programs that focus their efforts on USC’s university-community initiatives in education, health, public safety, and economic development. Good Neighbors is supported by USC staff and faculty contributions with 100% going to community organizations.  The I AM program also received an over $52,000 gift from the Westerman Family through the Goldman Sachs Gives program.

The I AM program currently works with three high schools in low-income communities located in central and south Los Angeles areas, where the Pullias Center has long-standing relationships. The high schools are Belmont, Downtown Magnets, and Manual Arts, which together have an average college-going rate of approximately 32%.

I AM is currently recruiting USC students, faculty, and staff to serve as mentors to help first-generation high school students apply to college.  Mentors share their valuable knowledge and experiences of the college admission and financial aid process with first-generation, low-income students who often do not have family members to guide them through this challenging endeavor.  More information about the program, including an application to become a mentor, can be found at https://pulliasarchive.equitygraded.org/iam/mentors/.