What Is STRIVE?
A Near-Peer Mentoring Program
STRIVE (Scholars Thriving through Relationships, Internships, and Valuable Experiences) is Steppingstone’s near-peer mentoring program for college sophomores and juniors. Through this full academic year program, Scholars are matched with mentors with similar experiences, career industries, and overall interests, and participate in a skills-building curriculum.
Scholars and mentors will meet twice per month from August 2026–June 2027. Mentors will have the option to attend virtual Office Hours with the Career Success team the first week of each month.
Steppingstone is seeking mentors who are committed to the timing of the program as well as our mission. Eligible mentors will be “near-peer” young professionals, categorized as 1-10 years out of undergraduate.
“Watching my mentee grow and gain confidence in her skills has been incredibly fulfilling.
I’m grateful to have been part of her support system—whether that meant helping her navigate complex tasks like resume writing and interview prep, or offering guidance on everyday things like crafting professional emails or exploring career resources... It’s been a joy to support her and celebrate both her big and small wins.”
—Cheeznah Milord, Steppingstone Mentor
Why STRIVE?
Networking Makes a Difference
- Help Scholars build social capital and expand their professional network
- Support their development of career readiness skills through workshops and mentorship
- Guide Scholars through the application process to secure a summer opportunity that is relevant to their career interest
As volunteers, mentors will connect with Scholars and the larger Steppingstone community:
- Stay up-to-date via our monthly Career Success newsletter and keep in touch with Scholars and staff through our LinkedIn community
- Meet other Steppingstone volunteers at special events such as our Spring Party, Annual Meeting, and more!
Thank you to our current STRIVE mentors!
Abimbola Cole '04
Alex Gomez
Angela Wallace
Anna Zhang
Armaan Malik*
Christina Michel* '07
Clarice Pertel
Cynthia Gomez
Daniel Creese* '09
Diane Story
Hadley Edie
Hannah Martinez
Jeremy Bennett
Jessica Pires '12
Jordan Kijewski*
Juliana Hillis
Kaitlyn Thorogood
Kimberly Hernandez
Mary Corcoran*
Matthew Malicki*
Maxime Nguyen* '10
Meghan Muldoon
Priscilla Lau*
Rachel Slayton
Sebastian Viasus* '07
Shihua Wu* '10
Stella Baskowski
Tess Lenihan*
Valerie Folan*
Zachary Gartenhaus
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2026-2027 STRIVE program!
If you are in mentoring for a future cohort, please submit the interest form below.
Claire Joy Moss
Director of Career Success
cmoss@steppingstone.org
Rachel Maida
Career Success Senior Associate
rmaida@steppingstone.org
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