Students and community members are in the beginning stages of creating a novel STEM-focused mentorship program between CU Anschutz and an AIAN (American Indian/Alaskan Native) youth program.

 

The mentorship program will create a bridge between AIAN youth and CU Anschutz that will allow for future, prolonged collaboration and promotion of healthcare-related fields within the school. The curriculum of the program will be designed after extensive discussions with community stakeholders and focus groups.

 

The program will recruit CU Anschutz student mentors that will provide guidance and career support for AIAN students interested in STEM-related fields. Further, given the disproportionate rates of suicide, depression and anxiety amongst AI/AN youths, the mentorship program will also have monthly threads of health and wellness woven into the curriculum. Mentors will conduct monthly activities with mentees based on these threads and encourage open communication about mental health. Examples of these threads could include: “Healthy Eating,” “Self-Reflection Tools” and “Relaxation and Stress Reduction.”