CHENNAI: On September 25, 2014, U.S. Consul General Phillip A. Min will inaugurate “The Kickst’art Challenge: Empowering students with leadership lessons,” a goal-directed mentoring project aimed at transforming 100 undergraduate students into future leaders using the mentorship of 50 experts, who are alumni of U.S. exchange programs, over a six month period, at Hotel Raj Park.
“The United States is fully invested in improving the status of the youth across the world and in building their capacity to transform them into future leaders. This exciting program will also forge a long-term relationship with our U.S. exchange alumni, providing them with tools to engage their local communities in support of mutual goals,” Consul General Phillip Min said. The program is funded by a grant from the Alumni Affairs office of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.
Reiterating U.S. President Barack Obama’s emphasis on “giving every child…the chance to reach their full potential”, Consul General Min stated that “access to professionals succeeding in their field is vital for students both in and out of the classroom” and participants in the “Kickst’art” project will not only gain access to professionals, but also an added opportunity to be mentored and guided by them.
The two-day workshop will comprise experiential methods of instruction, interactive case studies-based learning modules, and will help create small mentor-mentee teams. The teams will progress together for the next six months toward goal-centric activities. U.S. exchange alumni mentors will closely lead and guide their teams in enhancement activities related to the successful completion of individual projects.
Mentees will showcase their completed projects and receive certificates in a public event that will be organized by the U.S. Consulate General Chennai in February 2015.
This mentoring program is completely free of charge.
