Community Engagement

Minds Matter seeks Mentors, Tutors, and other Volunteers to Help High-Achieving, Low-Income High School Students Pursue their Dream to attend a 4-year University

You: A college graduate (exceptions sometimes made for volunteers who experienced the college application process yet didn’t complete a degree)

When: School year Saturdays (10am-12 for tutors 12:30-2:30pm for mentors) from October through mid-May (except school holidays)

Where: St. Andrew Nativity School 4925 NE 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97211

What: Tutors work with small groups of 3-5 students focusing on either math or English skill development on Saturday morning from 10:00-12:00.

Mentor and student teams meet together in the afternoon, 12:30-2:30, to work on critical thinking, leadership, goal setting, summer prep program selection, and college/university selection. Limited other volunteer opportunities (grant writing, event planning, community engagement, administrative support) with varied hours are also available.

Contact us at volunteer@mindsmatterportland.org or go to https://www.mindsmatterportland.org/ to learn more.

Student Reflection: “My mentors took the time to get to know me, helped me with my essays and college applications. I still talk to them today, eight years after we first met. I give them much credit for where I am today because I was a pretty stubborn high schooler and they worked hard to get me my scholarship and convince me to get everything in on time and with quality. Without Minds Matter, I doubt I would have gotten into a good college or gone at all. Minds Matter gave me the experiences that helped me get my scholarship, and the mentors that made it all happen.” – Minds Matter Class of 2011 Mentee Northeastern University Torch Scholar, graduated 2016 with B.A. in Sociology Volunteer Reflections: “I find mentoring incredibly rewarding. For a small investment of time, I get to work with inspiring kids who will become our next generation of community members, entrepreneurs, and professionals.” “I think I gain as much as the students do. Volunteering with Minds Matter turned my lazy Saturdays into something more meaningful. It gets me going and out of the house earlier. It’s my time to have conversations about current events with a much broader perspective than I am typically around. I’m always impressed with the determination, achievements, and accomplishments of the students and I leave feeling inspired to use the rest of my weekend wisely.” — Minds Matter connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people and provides preparation and possibilities to succeed in college to help them create their future and change the world. Volunteers provide direct support as tutors and mentors to our students. Volunteers are able to pass on their own knowledge of the college application process are build lasting relationships with their students.