Tag Archives: Tag: Kolbe Cathedral

Mentor Profile: Fred McMullen

| May 25, 2020
Fred, mentor

Fred McMullen enjoyed the four years he mentored Alejandro, “The most gratifying part of my Shepherds experience was seeing the pride and confidence my student had when he started his college experience. We stay in touch and it has also been great to see him adapt to and thrive in a completely different environment. This gives me a lot of confidence that he is going to go on and make a difference wherever he charts his course.”

Shepherds students high school graduation rate for the last twenty years is 95%+, compared to their inner-city peers’ rate of 55-65%. Last year, 100% of our students went on to institutions of higher learning.

Fred found it rewarding to help impact a student’s life. You can experience that too! Shepherds is recruiting mentors for freshman beginning this fall. To find out more, go to www.shepherdsmentors.org. You can also contact Executive Director Dan McAuliffe at 203-367-4273 or info@shepherdsmentors.org

 

https://youtu.be/nZw1-MV5BWU

Work Hard & Be Kind Keys to Success

| May 8, 2020
work hard

A significant percentage of graduates of the Shepherds program have chosen careers in the health care field. Melissa Bonnilla-Sanchez, Shepherds and Kolbe Cathedral HS class of 2009, is a respiratory therapist and the story of her resilience and determination is inspiring. Her mother, Shepherds’ mentor, Hope Carter, and other mentors she collected along the way helped her live the motto that was critical to her success: Work hard and be nice.

Thank you to Melissa and all the Shepherds’ alumni who have chosen to pursue careers in health care. Education is the gift that keeps on giving – and not just to the student – but to our entire community.

Being a Shepherds mentor changes lives and we are recruiting mentors for the class of 2024 starting in the fall. Join us today by contacting Executive Director Dan McAuliffe at info@shepherdsmentors.org or call 203-367-4273.

 

Shepherds Seniors Zoom into Their Future

| May 7, 2020
Universities

Shepherds’ seniors at our partner schools, Notre Dame West Haven and Kolbe Cathedral, are in the midst of making their college selection for the fall. Unlike previous years, COVID-19 is making in-person guidance counseling and mentoring very challenging for students and their guidance counselors. Analyzing academic goals, financial aid packages and potential transportation issues is a daunting task for many of our first-generation students. We are happy to report that they are rising to the challenge!

Their hard work and dedication in school is having an enormous impact in the options they have for college. The Shepherds program along with our partner schools, provide an education that has an impact that lasts long after our students graduate high school. We will announce their final selections in June and hope to find a way to to honor their accomplishments in person this summer.

Shepherds is recruiting mentors for the class of 2024. Be a part of the next group of Shepherds students’ success by applying to be a mentor today! To find out more, contact Dan McAuliffe at info@shepherdsmentors.org or call 203-367-4273

Shepherds Changes Lives…One Student at a Time: Alumnus Isaiah Smith

| April 24, 2020

Recently a Shepherds and Kolbe Cathedral High School alumnus reached out to his mentor, Brian O’Connor. Isaiah Smith graduated from KCHS in 2003 and furthered his education at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI. He graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering.

Shepherds and Brian O’Connor were excited to hear of Isaiah’s success. Currently, he along with his wife and two beautiful daughters live in Manchester, CT. Isaiah works at Koh Young America, Inc as a Regional Sales Manager.

Mentoring a student through the Shepherds program pays big social dividends to both the student and mentor. “Shepherds provided the opportunity for a private college preparatory education and a mentor to guide Isaiah. He made great use of the resources we gave him. Isaiah’s success is a great example how education is the gift that keeps on giving,” claimed Executive Director Dan McAuliffe. “Isaiah’s education and Shepherds experience have not only been a great benefit to him directly, but to his wife and children as well.”

Mentor Brian O’Connor was touched when Isaiah reached out to him, “I often wondered where Isaiah was and how his life turned out. It was a beautiful note and heartwarming to know he completed college, has a good job, and is happily married with a loving family,” stated mentor Brian O’Connor.

When asked about the impact that his mentor had on him, Isaiah responded “I truly believe my mentor Brian’s contribution to my high school education played a role in my success in life. I cannot thank him enough.”

Mentor Brian O’Connor changed a life. You can too! Why not consider become a Shepherds mentor this year? Shepherds is seeking mentors for the incoming Shepherds freshman class at both Kolbe Cathedral High School and Notre Dame West Haven. To find out more about the Shepherds program, contact Dan McAuliffe at info@shepherdsmentors.org or call 203-367-4273.  www.shepherdsmentors.org

Update During these Unusual Times

| April 1, 2020

Dear Shepherds Community,

As the implications of the virus pandemic become more immediate, it’s our sense that the connections that underpin the Shepherds partnership of student-parent-school-mentor-staff are even more relevant.

First, and foremost, we hope and pray that you and your families are well.

Second, the Shepherds staff is on duty – yes, like many of you, we are balancing home, family, virtual learning, and work responsibilities. But we have a job to do and are available to hear from you. If you think we can help in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us.

    Third, we would like to begin the process of building a community of sharing. We hope that by communicating more, we can support each other even if we can’t physically be there for one another.  Please share your stories – images or written –  about how you’re adapting to the current conditions, what you’ve learned and any suggestions you may have for others.

Send us your input or pictures at info@shepherdsmentors.org or text them to 203-550-6395, or tag Shepherds on Instagram or Facebook. We will post them for the greater community. We’ll curate the input and post as appropriate, names only disclosed upon permission.  

   Continues….

KCHS Seniors Attend Off to College Workshop

| February 1, 2020

KCHS seniors (pictured) attended workshops with Jane-Ellen Collins at the end of January. Students received a crash-course on what it means to be a freshman in college.

Topics covered included roommate issues, laundry, planning a schedule, balancing studies and fun, where to go for academic help and a lot more! Consistently rated a favorite Shepherds activity by graduating seniors, Jane-Ellen does a great job preparing our KCHS Seniors for the next big step in their academic lives: Being a College Freshman

National Mentoring Month

| January 25, 2020

January is National Mentoring Month and Shepherds is so thankful for all the mentors that assist our students.

Our mentors are kind-hearted adults who help bridge the opportunity gap our inner-city students have. A good mentor allows students to see the hope and possibilities within themselves. Becoming a Shepherds is a satisfying way to make a positive impact on a young person in your own backyard.

As the Chronicle of Evidence Based Mentoring states, mentoring is an opportunity not only for the student, but for the mentor as well.

To find out more about becoming a mentor at Shepherds, contact Executive Director Dan McAuliffe at info@shepherds.com or www.shepherdsmentors.org

Four Ways Mentoring Benefits the Mentor

Giving Tuesday

| December 3, 2019
A financial contribution to Shepherds this Giving Tuesday has a tremendous impact on a local high school student. Shepherds students are successful students who continue their education after high school. Our graduation rate is 95% compared to their Bridgeport and New Haven peers graduation rate at 55-60%. Last year, 100% of our students went on to institutions of higher learning. We have a tremendous core group of volunteers, but we still need financial resources to continue providing tuition, academic and social support services to our students.
 
Join us in ensuring Shepherds students can build that solid foundation by donating today.
 

Timex Hosts Shepherd Students for Career Day

| November 12, 2019

Shepherds students (pictured here with Timex CEO Tobias Reiss-Schmidt and Timex staff) enjoyed a great day at Timex headquarters in Middlebury, CT. Employees from numerous departments presented their career paths. Timex generously sponsored our Career Day, with supplemental funding from the Near & Far Aid Association in Fairfield, CT.

Thank you to Timex staff for providing Shepherd Students such engaging presentations and discussions. Our students were thrilled at the opportunity to learn from Timex about many parts of their company.