Mentorship program creates opportunities for minority students
Dear Readers,
This week I bring you a conversation I had with a local doctor who found a way to give back to the community she grew up in. It’s an opportunity for future doctors, engineers and professionals to meet people like them and aspire to be.
Sincerely,
Nargis Rahman
Saa Nasta Newsletter
Michigan doctor creates mentorship program to bridge learning gaps
Growing up and going to school without someone to show you the way may be difficult for minority students.
Tabtilla Chowdhury is the creator of Mentors Bridging Gaps, a mentorship platform for underserved students in college, grad school, or medical school.
“It's something that I grew up needing but wasn't available to me,” Chowdhury says.
Chowdhury says she grew up as the child of immigrant parents who never attended college or grad school, and didn’t know how to navigate the education system.
“As the oldest child of immigrants, I had to figure out how to do everything,” she says.
She says she grew up with the mindset of never becoming a burden to her parents and figuring things out.
“So if you want to chase a dream you have to be able to find all avenues,” Chowdhury says.
At the age of 15, she says that was overwhelming: trying to imagine going to college, applying for scholarships, and finding the funds to pursue further education while working multiple jobs.
Chowdhury says in college she felt disconnected from her peers. They were either from privileged backgrounds or did not share her family’s immigrant experiences.
“It's really difficult to chase a career when you don't have the visual representation of someone coming from your background,” she says.
That was one of the reasons she launched Mentors Bridging Gaps on Instagram in 2021. It’s for students who have nowhere to turn.
“I just posted a little snippet of my story, how I needed a mentor growing up,” she says. She hoped that would inspire others.
She says moments after posting her story, people began to reach out.
“I had an overwhelming response in my inbox, saying, ‘I feel really alone in this journey,’” Chowdhury says.
She wants people to know they are not alone.
“My goal is to make a difference and just make it easier for the next generation,” Chowdhury says.
Initially, about 70 people were matched with mentors through the program.
To get matched, people direct message Chowdhury through the Mentors Bridging Gaps Instagram page. Then she provides a basic questionnaire to help match mentees with a mentor with a similar educational background or career path.
On the Instagram page, she posts information to help mentees get an idea of potential matches.
She also vets people to make sure they are enrolled in school and have the proper background.
“I wanted to take ownership to really facilitate the relationship,” she says.
Then mentees reach out to the mentors.
“Some of my mentors have been very good where they become popular so they have students coming in and specifically requesting them,” she says.
A majority of the mentors are people of color, something Chowdhury says she was intentional about.
“I wanted the program to cater to a marginalized minority student,” she says.
Chowdhury says she struggles with reaching high school students who may need the most help. She works with the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and local high schools to recruit students to sign up for her program. The program is free.
She wants students to know they can reach out and start the process early.
“Sometimes you just need someone who was in that position a couple of years back to motivate you,” she says.
Chowdhury says the program’s success is dependent on whether people benefit from it.
In the meantime, she’s looking for more mentors.
“That's the best way for the program to grow,” she says.
To learn more about her program, visit her Instagram page.
Community Events:
State officials Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie, and other state officials will make remarks about celebrating diversity at The Bangladeshi Mela, on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Jayne Field in the Banglatown neighborhood. According to APIA-MI Vote, the Bangladeshi festival was founded by the Bangladesh Association of Michigan (BAM) and is organized by the Annual Diversity Festival Committee. The event will take place September 15-17 from 5-10 p.m. at Jayne Field, located at 4499 Charles St, Detroit, MI.
The Arab American National Museum is hosting a two-day Jam3a festival to celebrate international Arab American artists. The hybrid event takes place September 16-17. Lujine Nasralla is the communication specialist at the museum. She says jamaa means to gather. The event will feature short films, open mic, and more. Nasralla told Nargis Rahman for WDET, that it’s an opportunity for people to get to know each other and learn about the Arab American diaspora.