Fall is always a busy time for the Mentoring Program. Our dedicated team of Student Leaders visits dozens of classrooms, designs flyers and social media posts, and uses every communication channel at Stuyvesant to spread the word before student applications are due in mid-November.

The 2024-2025 Program had 204 participants comprising of 125 student mentees, 63 alumni mentors, and 16 Mentor & Student Leaders. You can view the full list of program participants by cohort and program year on our Yearbook page. All participants are placed in one of nine cohorts that met, on average, once a month from late January through May 2025. In addition, student mentees have the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops focus on résumé writing, public speaking, career exploration, and the college application process.

To celebrate the start of another great year of mentoring, we are sharing some testimonials from last year’s mentees and Student Leaders on the impact the Alumni Mentoring Program has made in their lives.

Emily graduated from Stuyvesant in June and is currently a freshman at Cornell University. Emily first joined the Mentoring Program in her freshman year of Stuyvesant and appreciated the experience so much that she returned every year after.

“I am incredibly grateful to have had the Stuyvesant Alumni Mentoring Program throughout all four years of my Stuyvesant career. Thanks to Stuyvesant Mentoring, I know a lot more about the professional world, such as resumes, elevator pitches, interviews, and networking. These topics aren’t taught in the classroom setting, which is why the program is such a valuable resource. Most of my friends from other schools don’t have resumes yet, but here I am entering college with one already made.

I have also loved getting to know my mentors and mentoring cohorts. Even though I’ve done the program before, each year’s cohort brings a treasure trove of meaningful stories and experiences. There’s a mix of new and returning mentors, but it’s inspiring how all of them share the same passion for helping Stuyvesant youth and giving back. I admire how much time and energy they put into this program, especially with some virtual mentors joining from the other side of the world. If I didn’t join the Stuyvesant Mentoring Program in freshman year, then I wouldn’t be the same person standing here today. For example, after being mentored by an alumnus captain of the Boys Bowling team, I ended up joining and later becoming captain of the Stuyvesant Girls Bowling team.

The mentoring cohorts reinforce my sense of the Stuyvesant community’s closeness and vastness. Not only have I grown, but so have our alumni mentors. In the time span of four years, I’ve seen mentors get married, start families, change jobs, graduate from their higher education, and more. Our lives are immensely different, but it feels like the mentoring sessions pause time and bridge those differences.“

Eileen graduated from Stuyvesant in June and is currently a freshman at MIT. Eileen joined the Mentoring Program in her sophomore year. She became a Student Leader of the program in her junior and senior year.

“I received a lot of valuable advice from my mentor that has shifted my perspective on the future. For
instance, my mentor told me to make decisions that keep as many doors or opportunities open for myself, rather than limiting myself to a single path that may not offer room for growth. My experience as a mentee has changed my mindset for the better and left me with unforgettable memories.”

Current junior Frieda was a mentee in the Program during the 2024-2025 school year.

“I really enjoyed getting feedback on interviews. It is very difficult to get specific feedback on our interview answers outside of the Mentoring Program. Since Sophomore year, I’ve already had five interviews and the interview tips I received were just so universally applicable and helpful.”

This next mentee would like to remain anonymous but she is a current senior who was a mentee in the Program during the 2024-2025 school year.

“The Resume Review session was very helpful, especially the part when we talked about how to turn everyday activities into meaningful experiences on a resume or application. The discussion about how leadership roles in even small clubs or volunteer projects can show important skills like teamwork and problem-solving really stood out to me. It helped me see that it’s not just about how many activities you do, but how you reflect on and connect them to your personal growth and goals. That specific insight made me rethink how I present my own extracurriculars and gave me a clearer way to highlight what makes me unique.“

If you’re a student and would like to apply for the 2025-2026 Mentoring Program, use this link to apply. Applications are due Saturday, November 8th!