GANAS Leadership Mentors

According to the Center for Employment Equity, Hispanic men make up only 1.3% of executives while Hispanic women make up only 1.5% nationwide. 

The UMASS Center for Employment Equity ranks the Phoenix metro area as 256th out of 359 U.S. Metropolitan Areas in equitable outcomes for Hispanic or Latinos in top executive positions in the private workforce. 

GateWay wants to change this. GateWay wants our students to be proud of their Latinx culture, and we want to provide them the tools and resources to be ready for their careers.

• It’s an opportunity to engage with the community and give back! 
• Be a part of a movement to help build up the next generation of Latinx/a/o leaders.
• Build a lasting connection to support a student in their education and career development.

Visit: GANAS Leadership

Contact: DEI@gatewaycc.edu Subject: GANAS Mentor

To become a mentor for GANAS, click here to submit a brief application. 

The GateWay team will evaluate applications based on a rubric. If selected, you will be contacted and requested to complete a strengths assessment that will be used to pair you to a Mentee (estimated time to complete: 10 minutes).

There are three main criteria for eligibility to be a mentor:

1. Mentors should identify as Latinx/a/o, Hispanic, or any other Latin American nationality or ethnicity that fits within these umbrella terms (e.g. Chicano, Guatemalan);
2. Mentors can be community members, GateWay Community College alumni, or alumni from one of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges with at least 5 years of full-time experience in their professional field.
3. We will prioritize applicants who hold a supervisory, management, or other leadership position, and have at least 5 years of full-time professional experience.

GateWay’s Title V EXITO grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) program. This program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. As such, the GANAS program was identified as a targeted strategy to enhance the Hispanic student experience and support learning in and out of the classroom. 

While GANAS is primarily focused on Latinx students, if you’re interested in supporting GateWay students as a mentor, please contact Student Life Director Jessie Palacio to determine other informal mentoring opportunities.

A strong mentor candidate for GANAS is someone who…

• Is willing to share their experiences and path to leadership (even if it is unconventional, or rocky – we want students to know this isn’t always a straight path);
• Can maintain confidentiality and serve as an active listener;
• Is willing to provide objective feedback in a kind, meaningful way;
• Understands that all students have unique perspectives and can appreciate the diversity of lived experiences they may encounter;
• Has prior mentoring experience, even if informal in nature or serving a different demographic.

GANAS mentors will volunteer up to 4 hours per month over the course of the academic year (August – May). This includes:

• Mentor training during the summer (approximately 1 hour);
• At a minimum, one monthly meet with a mentee and communication as needed between meetings;
• Communication with GANAS leadership periodically throughout the academic year;
• Participate in closing celebration in May 2024

No – meetings can take place virtually or in-person. Pairs will be encouraged to conduct their meetings however they are most comfortable considering their vaccination status and health history. For more information, please contact one of the facilitators at dei@gatewaycc.edu.

There is no financial requirement to participate or requirement to employ mentees at the conclusion of the program. The only thing we ask is for your time and commitment to the mentee, and to participate in evaluations at the end of your mentoring relationship so that we can improve the program for future students.