Project Mentor’s unique approach of training college students to be mentors through classroom instruction and support in the schools have helped them to impact the lives of more than 600 middle school students over the history of the program. Founded in 1997 at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Durham, Project Mentor pairs sixth graders with college students for a period of 3 years. Through a new partnership with the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), Project Mentor expanded statewide to serve middle schools in areas near UNH Manchester, Plymouth State University (PSU), Keene State College (KSC), and Granite State College (GSC), as well as to serve additional middle schools in the greater Durham area.

Did you know...

• In New Hampshire, 1 out of every 5 ninth graders does not graduate from high school, too few go on to college, and fewer yet graduate from college.
• One high school student drops out every 9 seconds.
• High school dropouts are 72% more likely to be unemployed compared with high school graduates.
• Many middle school students make the decision to drop out of school before they have even entered high school.
• College graduates earn $1 million more in their lifetime than high school graduates earn.
• Using USNH college students to mentor and tutor middle school students shows promising practice for raising self-confidence, improving student academic performance, and increasing aspirations to graduate from high school and go on to college.

Please use this site to learn more about the program and how to become involved as a mentor or as a middle school student who would like to have a mentor.