Hello World! My name is Lauren Jordan and I am a second year
Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps AmeriCorps member serving at the
University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach (CEO). The CEO is
based in Ann Arbor but provides outreach programs for K-12 youth all over the
state of Michigan from Saginaw to Monroe, Benton Harbor to Detroit. The mission of the CEO is to engage with
communities across and apply the scholarly
resources of the University of Michigan to promote academic
excellence at the pre-college level, encourage students to value higher
education, stimulate college participation and success rates,
and attract a well-prepared diverse student body to the University of Michigan.
I help to coordinate three of the ten signature programs that CEO has to offer:
College Corps, Wolverine Express, and College 101 which occurs during the
summer. I also am in charge of undergraduate student recruitment, hiring, and
training for all 10 programs.Each program has its own specific aim but is all
encompassing of the mission of CEO. College Corps is a year-long program which aims
to provide 9th and 10th grade students with resources that will equip them to
succeed in the college going process. My focus is creating engaging and
informational lesson plans for undergraduate students to teach on a weekly
basis throughout the school year. These lessons address one of the main
barriers of getting into college, financial aid, as well as other essential
lessons such as finding the right college and discovering one’s learning style.
The students in this program end the academic year with a campus visit to the University of
Michigan. For many of our students, this is the first time they have ever
stepped foot on a college campus, so we aim to make it very special for them.
Events of the day always consist of a campus tour. Other activities range
from seeing a skit from undergraduates involved in the Real on College Theatre
Troupe, a student panel, college jeopardy, and a myriad of other experiences to
reinforce the lessons learned throughout the year about the
importance of college.
This program proves to be meaningful not only for high
school students but the undergraduate student leaders as well. Throughout the
year, they form a mentor-mentee relationship with the students and can see how
much of an impact they have had on the students in such a short amount of time.
Students look up to them and many times continue to ask them questions about
college even after the program ends. Our undergrad student leaders are able to
see the true meaning of “paying it forward” and being a role model for those
whose footsteps they were in just a few years prior.
Wolverine Express is a school visitation program in which a
diverse group of U-M faculty, staff, and students assemble as a team and travel
to select high schools located across the state of Michigan. While at the
high schools, faculty, staff, and students participate in presentations
designed to promote academic success and college aspiration. Some of the
schools who have been a part of Wolverine Express this year include Monroe High
School, Pontiac High School, Osborn High School, and Detroit School of Arts.
Each visit is unique in its planning and strategic about the placement of presenters into
the classroom. After the compelling presentations, the
average 500+ students we see are buzzing with college knowledge and an itch to
excel. 
College 101 is a three-day residential summer program that
introduces rising 10th grade students to higher education through a series of
unique experiences on the U-M campus. College 101 prepares students for college
while facilitating exposure to academic disciplines and career options, as well
as special opportunities available to college students such as study abroad,
athletics and leadership development. Interested high school students must
submit an application and be selected to attend the program which is at no cost
to them. As an AmeriCorps member, one of my favorite parts of the year is
reading the applications from young aspiring college-bound students. They are
very eager to learn the ins and outs of college as well as what it is like to
live on campus.
Undergraduate student leaders are a huge part of the College 101 program
and get to know the high schoolers very well throughout the three days they are
together. With days lasting from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, it definitely takes a lot of energy and tenacity to give students an all-encompassing example of a day in
the life of college students. Students leave with a deeper understanding of
what a college student’s schedule includes. They are aware that with freedom
comes great responsibility; they understand that college is hard work but the
outcome is well worth it; and most of all, they know that college is an
attainable goal for them.
Another responsibility I have in my AmeriCorps role is to
recruit, hire, and train student leaders to work with the CEO. As a recent
Michigan Alum, it was fairly easy for me to reach out to educationally or
philanthropic- based student organizations. Once hired, finding meaningful
training topics for students who have an array of skills in their repertoire was
a challenge that I welcomed. This allowed me to build partnerships with
departments on campus, some of which I was unaware of as a student. By sharing
my resources and connections, I have been able to aid as a mentor to current
U-M students as they serve the youth in our community. I have talked to many
students about post-graduate plans, class schedules, and everyday stressors of
being a college student. For me, it is important to remember that with all of
the great outreach work our students accomplish in the community, they are still
students, and they still need advising. 
As I end my second year of service, I look back on students I knew as
freshman and realize they have blossomed into upperclassmen. Before this experience, I knew what a profound
impact having a mentor made on someone’s life, but now I see the impact being a
mentor has had on my life. I have learned much about myself both professionally
and personally and I would not change this experience for anything. It has
been the great support of the staff at my host site and MMCCC that I was able
to mentor and train undergraduate students which in turn are able to mentor the
youth of the community. It is this cycle that produces a strong community and
takes responsibility for all of its members.
