Daisy Camacho, DePaul University Nancy Deutsch, Ph.D., University of Virginia

 Can have a positive impact on the academic achievement and wellbeing of adolescents (Karcher, 2008; Karcher, Kuperminc, Portwood, Sipe & Taylor, 2006).  Many programs are designed for youth “at risk”(Deutsch & Spencer, 2009).  Many mentors in organized mentoring programs are White/Caucasian and come from middle to upper class households (Spencer, 2007).  These disparities can lead to differences in experiences and predispositions that may impede connections between mentor and mentee (Deutsch & Spencer, 2009; Spencer, 2007; Sullivan, 2007)

 Mentors receive a semester-long training course covering issues facing adolescent girls and the YWLP curriculum  Weekly meetings throughout the duration of the program  College women mentor ~80 middle school girls at-risk for making poor academic, social, and/or emotional decisions per academic year  Mentors and mentees have a one-on-one relationship and meet three hours per week

LunchFrequency Free53.2% (N=41) Reduced10.4% (N=8) Neither31.2% (N=24) Missing5.2% (N=4) Total100% (N= 77) Parental EducationFrequency Some High School10.4% (N= 8) Finished High School19.5% (N=15) Some College7.8% (N= 6) Finished College23.4 ((N=18) More than College10.4% (N= 8) Missing28.6% (N= 22) Total100% (N= 77) Race/EthnicityFrequency African-American40.3% (N= 31) Caucasian26.0% (N=20) Multi-Racial11.7% (N= 9) Other10.4% (N= 8) Hispanic9.1% (N= 7) Asian American1.3% (N= 1) Missing1.3% (N=1) Total100% (N=77)

IncomeFrequency $20,000 - $34,9991.3% (N= 1) $35,000 - $49, % (N= 1) $50,000 - $64, % (N= 2) $65,000 - $79,999 8% (N= 6) $80,000 to $99, % (N= 8) $100,000 or more 38.7% (N= 29) Missing37.3% (N= 28) Total100% (N= 75) Parental EducationFrequency Some High School0% (N=0) High School Degree4.0% (N=3) Some College4.0% (N=3) Two-year College Attended1.3% (N=1) Four-year College Degree20.0% (N=15) Post-Graduate Degree45.3%(N=34) Missing25.3% (N=19) Total100% (N=75) Race/EthnicityFrequency White49.3% (N=37) African-American14.7% (N= 11) Multi-Racial6.7% (N= 5) Asian/Pacific Islander5.3% (N= 4) Latino/ Hispanic2.7% (N= 2) Missing21.3% (N=16) Total100% (N=75)

Do college women increase ethno-cultural empathy after participating in the program R1) Do college women who participate in a combined group and one-on-one mentoring program for middle school girls increase ethno-cultural empathy after participating in the program for one year when compared to a control group? H 1 : There will be a positive difference in ethno-cultural empathy from pre to post participation in the program. H 2 : There will be a significant difference between the college women who participated in the mentoring program when compared to the control group.

R 2 : How do college women talk about their experiences in confronting ethno-cultural differences in a heterogeneous mentoring group? Appreciating cultural differences and values Strength- Based Approach Mutually Beneficial Relationships Connection

 Scale of Ethno-Cultural Empathy (Wang, et al., 2003) › Using bottom 50 th percentile › T-test and ANCOVA  All mentors interviewed after program participation › N=5 interview transcripts

 T-test showed a negative change in ethno- cultural empathy after one year for the mentors on the SEE (N = 27); t (26) = 2.611, p =.015.  There was no significant difference in ethno-cultural empathy at post-test, controlling for pre-test scores, between the mentors (N=27) and the control participants (N=34), F (1, 58) =.049, p =.826).

Mindful of context when speaking of their mentees and their families “they were rude” Appreciating cultural differences and values Chores, no phone, language “Her culture will hold her back” Strength-Based Approach Community Exposure Helped them learn about themselves (or not) Mutually Beneficial Relationships Involved family and mothers in relationship fostering Not knowing why mentee no longer wanted to participate Connection Continuously made reference to the training that they received Becoming cognizant of privilege

 Why was there a negative change in the SEE? Becoming aware of privilege Not enough time to grapple with diversity High-scoring bottom 50 th percentile It is normal development  Future Research Other aspects of mentoring Curriculum development Mentees’ point of view  Implications for Practice Mentor Development o Foster mutually-beneficial relationships o Encourage strength-based approach  Limitations High scores in SEE limit the amount of growth that can occur Sample size of interviews