Started in 2017, the Encuentros (“Encounters”) Mentor Program brings together current Marquette University students and highly motivated Cristo Rey Jesuit high schoolers who may face challenges on their journey toward college. Just as St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, started off on his journey with his holy companions Blessed Peter Favre and St. Francis Xavier, our mentors and mentees set off together to encounter and learn from one another.   

Program Goals 

The purpose of the program is to: 

• Give local first-generation, low income, and/or underrepresented minority high school students meaningful interactions with college students who come from similar backgrounds; 
• Provide information about college campus resources that these high school students and their families may not otherwise have access to; 
• Foster family-friendly interactions that lay a foundation of trust and give parents the tools necessary to engage in the college process; 
• Provide a meaningful leadership opportunity for first-generation, low income, and/or underrepresented minority college student mentors; and 
• Enhance connections between Marquette University and the surrounding community.  

Program Components 

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School juniors and seniors are paired with Marquette students who have similar interests and career aspirations. Through near-peer interactions, participants share their experiences, and mentors provide practical support, advice, and encouragement to their younger counterparts as they aspire to enroll in and succeed at a post-secondary institution. Mentors in turn develop their identities as leaders, as they realize the wealth of worthwhile knowledge they have to share. In addition to the personal relationships that mentor-mentee pairs build, the program facilitates monthly group activities, such as service projects, college readiness programs, and social events.  

Mentor applications are now open - apply here by September 8, 2023!   

For questions, contact: 

Jacki Black 

Director for Hispanic Initiatives and Diversity & Inclusion Educational Programming

jacqueline.black@marquette.edu 

414-288-4118