Mentor/Mentee Spotlight

Esmerelda Lopez (left) and Tressa Thomas

A Walk Through an Odyssey Dream
By Luwam Alemayehu

Luwam Alemayehu is a sophomore at the UW. She has been a mentor for four quarters. She is majoring in Psychology and International Studies and minoring in French. Tressa Thomas has been a mentor at Odyssey for two quarters. They will both be co-leads of Odyssey High School in the Winter 2014 academic quarter.

Having just wrapped up my first quarter as Odyssey's High School Lead, I can attest to how simultaneously chaotic and rewarding the position can be. Whether it was in the race to beat rush hour traffic and make it to Odyssey by 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday mornings, or  troubleshooting roadblocks our mentors have encountered in their journeys with their mentees, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing tremendous growth in every mentor and mentee throughout the quarter. This article focuses on the relationship between a mentor and a mentee, the paths they've both taken to get to where they are, and the paths they plan to take to get to where they want to be. The mentor is Tressa Thomas, a San Francisco native and first-year student at the UW, who hopes to major in Communications or English. The mentee is Esmerelda Lopez, a Mexican-born senior at Odyssey High School who hopes to become a pediatrician or a kindergarten teacher.

Interview Between Luwam and Tressa

Luwam: Why did you join the Dream Project?
Tressa: When I first came to UW in the fall, I had the clear intention of getting involved, whether in the arts, sports, or clubs in general. The Dream Project allowed me to not only be further connected to my university, but to the Seattle community and to students who were struggling with a task I had conquered just a few months before. DP is also structured in a way that allows its mentors to grow and develop through a variety of leadership positions within the program, which appealed to me.

Luwam: What impact has the Dream Project made on you?
Tressa: Through my time with DP, I have definitely come to discover my own lack of understanding of those different from me, especially in regard to education. DP has exposed me to the realities that students without adequate educational resources face in trying to get from high school to college. I have been vaguely aware of these struggles in years past but have never seen up close how they affect the students and just how these students can overcome obstacles like little to no college counseling. The most significant impact DP has had on me is a realization of how privileged I am to be where I am, and how important it is to support and assist others in acquiring their own education and their own voices.

Luwam: Why are you choosing to come back to the Dream Project and join leadership?
Tressa: I am thrilled to continue my experience with DP as a High School Lead next quarter, as I will have the chance to not only work with mentees, but also to assist my fellow mentors in their struggles. I see this as an expansion of my view and understanding of the program and its mission to provide higher education to prospective and current college students alike.

Interview Between Luwam and Esmerelda, Tressa's Mentee

Luwam: Have you always planned to go to college?
Esme: Yes. My parents didn't get far in their education, and seeing them struggle a lot gives me motivation to graduate from high school and go to college, make them proud, but most of all, make myself proud and know that I can accomplish my dreams, my goals and everything I want in life.

Luwam: What impact has the Dream Project made on you?
Esme: The Dream Project helped me in so many ways, from filling out college applications and writing personal statements, to making me believe that everything is possible. Once I started my senior year, I thought everything was going to be hard, especially on my own, because I have no family that has ever gone through this process. But having DP, and especially mentors, has made this process easier. They have done so much and, most of all, I'm thankful because every time I feel like I can't do it anymore, they're always there to pick me up and say I can.

Luwam: What impact has working with your mentor made on your plans?
Esme: I actually feel and know I'm lucky to have the mentors that were assigned to work on college applications with me and my group. Like I said before, they are always ready to help and ready to give advice that they know we are going to need. It's awesome working with them. My plan to finish high school with good grades and go to college has gotten a whole lot stronger thanks to my mentors and their support.

Luwam: What schools are you applying to? Why?
Esme: My top choice right now is UW Tacoma. My goal is to get a degree in pre-med and go into medical school in the future. But I'm also applying to Highline Community College, UW Bothell, South Seattle Community College, Bellevue College, Seattle University and Central Washington University.