During the month of March -- Women’s History Month -- it’s an especially great time to give a little extra attention to all of the amazing accomplishments of strong, determined women.
Women across the world make a difference in their communities every day. Here in Metro Detroit, a strong group of caring professional women are making a unique difference by sharing their knowledge, expertise and support with at-risk young women.
Women of Tomorrow
They are part of a team of women volunteering at the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program (WOT). These volunteers support vulnerable high school girls by inspiring them to aim higher and providing them with the skills necessary for personal and professional success.
The mission of the WOT Mentor and Scholarship Program is to inspire, motivate and empower at-risk young women to live up to their full potential. This is done through a unique mentoring program that utilizes the expertise and care of highly accomplished professional women, along with scholarship opportunities.
The program is specifically designed to meet the needs of teenage girls in our nation’s public high schools to help them turn obstacles into opportunities by providing the exposure, motivation and confidence required to create a better future for themselves, their families and society.
Pairing up
WOT pairs professional and highly accomplished women who inspire, motivate and teach critical life skills with at-risk students through mentoring sessions.
In a deliberate departure from traditional one-on-one mentoring, this program is structured as a group-mentoring model, with one mentor for every 10-15 girls. This helps to reinforce the social skills learned in mentoring sessions while also giving them the opportunity to engage in ongoing positive peer support.
Each group is diverse in its composition, with girls in ninth through 12th grade who have various strengths and weaknesses. This way, they can also learn from and empower each other.
Growing in the community
Since WOT Metro Detroit launched in 2011, it has grown to serve 1,000 students annually in 55 public schools in southeastern Michigan, with more than 120 mentors.
“We are so fortunate to have so many accomplished women from all areas of the workforce, entrepreneurship and the business world,” Jill Harris, executive director of the Detroit chapter, said. “They help make dreams come true for students who would never have believed they could reach their full potential. Our mentors encourage their mentee to turn their obstacles into opportunities.”
For the 2023-24 school year, Masco has three employees who volunteer as mentors.
Dana Castillo, program manager of supply chain at Masco Corporation, who has been a mentor for three years, said serving as a mentor has been an exceptionally rewarding experience for her.
“Mentoring young women is not only a way of giving back, but also a way of my own personal growth. I learn from their perspectives, their challenges and their aspirations,” she said. “In return, they inspire me to be a better leader and a better person. By sharing my career experiences and life skills, I feel like I am encouraging young women to reach beyond their current dreams.”
Additional perks
In addition to the mentor/mentee program, the organization offers career-focused field trips and college campus tours to introduce mentees to career options and higher education opportunities. They also have a scholarship program for seniors who have been active in the program for three years.
A majority of student who participate in the program have reported being the first generation to enroll in higher education. WOT is supporting their accomplishments and future by providing scholarships to assist with college tuition. Cumulatively, the program has awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships.
Recently, the nonprofit started a Women of Tomorrow Alumnae Network for all WOT graduates. It aims to create a robust community that facilitates networking, mentorship, career development, job opportunities, resources and lifelong friendships among the more than 20,000 WOT graduates across the country.
“Women of Tomorrow has not only helped me reach my goals, but it has also helped me understand the importance of overcoming obstacles and being proud of my accomplishments,” one WOT graduate said. “I look forward to one day giving back to Women of Tomorrow and helping other mentees the same way.”
To learn more about the program, donate or become a volunteer, visit womenoftomorrow.org.