Name: Madeline Conrad
Age: 21
Year: Junior
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Campus Celeb Status: President of College Mentors for Kids
Her Campus: How and why did you first get involved with College Mentors for Kids here at UK?
Madeline Conrad: I first got involved with College Mentors when I was a freshman. I saw a flyer for the program and I thought it sounded interesting, so I did a little research and decided to apply to be a mentor. I was paired with the sweetest little girl and she completely changed my life. I never expected the program to change my life, but I am eternally grateful that I decided to give it a chance.
HC: What are your responsibilities as the president for College Mentors?
MC: I am responsible for communicating with our national office, overseeing the operations for each activity day and relaying important information to the chapter. I also write grants, so we can get funding for the program.
HC: In your tenure as president, what do you hope to accomplish?
MC: As president, I hope to expand our chapter. Right now, we work with two elementary schools and have three activity days. I hope to expand to three elementary schools and four activity days. College Mentors has a lot to offer to the Lexington community, especially to children that come from underprivileged areas. If I am able to give more children the chance to experience our program, I will consider my term a success!
HC: What has been the most rewarding about serving in this position so far?
MC: I personally find everything about my position to be rewarding, but I would have to say that seeing all the mentors and their little buddies interacting is the most rewarding part. I constantly hear the little buddies talking about how they have so much fun and don’t want to leave campus, and I feel as though that proves that the program is working. A lot of stress comes with this position, but seeing how excited everyone gets for activities makes it all worth it!
HC: What has been the most challenging aspect of being the president of College Mentors?
MC: The most challenging part about being president is keeping up with emails. I am the type of person that would rather make a phone call and quickly relay information, however, that isn’t feasible. I know it sounds trivial, but that is definitely one of the most challenging parts for me.
HC: What advice do you have for students at UK thinking about getting involved with College Mentors for Kids?
MC: My advice for people that want to get involved with College Mentors for Kids would have to be to keep an open mind and make sure you’re able to be fully committed to the program. The kids we serve face daily challenges and our program is a source of consistency for them. They get very attached to their mentors, so it is imperative that the college students show up every week.
HC: How can students learn more about College Mentors here at the university?
MC: Students can learn about our program on OrgSync, our Facebook page and emailing us at cmfk.uky@gmail.com!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UK chapter.