Baghdad Numi was surprised when she first heard of her Her Honor Mentoring placement: Volunteer New York! “As a girl who’s interested in STEM fields,” Baghdad wrote, “I never expected to be in a volunteering place.”

When asked for three words they use to describe themselves, both Lori-Ann Ricketts and Robin Frankel independently began with “outgoing.” While this adjective certainly seems to match this mentoring team, their connection runs much deeper.

As a mainframe application developer and support analyst, first-time mentor Merlina Escorcia spends her days talking in Java and Python — languages crucial to her job writing code for IBM. Yet, despite speaking in ways understood by few, Merlina also deeply understands the power of communication. “Having the opportunity to talk to someone who has been through something that you are going through allows you to prepare yourself to face the unfamiliar,” she writes.

In September, we will mark Her Honor Mentoring’s tenth year of partnership with Mastercard. This month, we celebrate our near decade of collaboration through the lens of Mastercard’s Vice President of Retail and Commerce Solutions Architect, Marianne Iannace - who first joined Her Honor as a mentor in 2009.

Her Honor Mentoring is always seeking partnerships that support our mission and deepen our commitment to the mentorship experience. With this in mind, each year, several Her Honor mentoring partners graciously open their doors to groups of mentees. The Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute (EFLI) is one such organization — and holds truly unique alignment.

“I don’t know exactly what career I want to work in,” Rosie Avila writes in her Her Honor application essay. From kindergarten teacher to journalist, writer and illustrator to chef, Rosie has bounced through career options like a pinball - jumping from one idea to the next, curious about the many opportunities the world holds for her.

However, as a senior in high school, for Rosie, this is a bit daunting — or, as she says, “[it] scares me to death.” Rosie is not alone in this feeling. According to a recent study, 67% of high school students reported feeling stressed about getting into college.

When Her Honor Mentoring was founded over ten years ago, we couldn’t have known the impact it would have. Over the years, we’ve seen mentees (and mentors!) create change in themselves, and, through those changes, seen the ripples spread amidst their families and throughout their communities. We’ve seen the ways in which mentees lift each other up — older sisters and cousins encouraging their younger peers to apply, inviting them into a community that had deep impact on their own lives. Gloria Urritia is one such mentee.

Kelly Galeano loves to swim and spend time with her little sister. She likes to visit new places, describes herself as optimistic, and has a deep love of caring for others. “Since I can remember, helping people has been my passion,” Kelly writes.

Gladys Perez-Di Vito, a licensed psychotherapist, life coach, and four time Her Honor Mentor, is passionate about enhancing personal growth in individuals. Through her work, Gladys helps people to improve the quality of their lives emotionally, spiritually, and professionally.