Institute for Women and Girls Research Initiatives

The Institute for Women and Girls’ mentoring programs seek to facilitate strong relationships between mentor and mentee and have a positive influence on each girl’s life.

Mentoring Latinas - Club Amigas

Mentoring Latinas was started in 2003 by Dr. Ellen Silber, who was a professor at Fordham Marymount in Tarrytown. The program initially paired Latina middle-school girls with mentors from Marymount College. The program now works with both middle and high school Latinas in the Bronx and their Fordham College at Rose Hill mentors. Throughout the school year, the mentors meet with their mentees for help with homework, trips to museums, ice skating, as well as nutrition classes. The goal of the mentoring relationship is for the mentors to form a strong bond with their mentees to help increase their positive identification as Latinas as well as increase their self-esteem, grades, and attendance at school. The program also aims to motivate the mentees to graduate from high school and help them realize their college dreams.