Growing the Team

Over the past several months, our recruiting team has been hard at work. Kelli, Shawn, Emily, Jim, and many others have been setting up informational tables, presenting to local businesses, and meeting Lincolnites wherever they gather. Every day spent talking with potential mentors brings us one step closer to making sure every student in Lincoln who wants a mentor is matched with a supportive, caring adult.

Our summer and early fall schedules have taken us to every corner of the community. We’ve loved being involved in vibrant local gatherings like Pride in the Park, Juneteenth at Trago Park, Wordstock, and the Hub and Haymarket Farmers Markets. As the new school year approached, we’ve connected with passionate students and university staff during the UNL All-Staff Conference, UNL Graduate Student Welcome, and the Big Red Welcome Street Festival. Beyond community festivals, we’ve also spent time inside area businesses and civic organizations, hosting lunch-and-learns and presentations with incredible partners like Hudl, HDR, Sandhills Global, and TMCO, while regularly tabling at the Nebraska State Office Building and connecting at Lincoln Chamber events. Additionally, the team has reached out again to every single person who indicated interest at a recruiting event last school year.

None of this work would be possible without the incredible support of our current mentors. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has generously volunteered their time to help us staff event tables, answer questions, and share their firsthand experiences with prospective volunteers. Your enthusiasm for your mentees is contagious, and having you alongside us makes all the difference in inspiring others to step up.

As we begin this new school year, our team is energized and ready to keep the momentum going. With students still hoping for a mentor, we invite you to help us expand our reach.

• Continue to tell your friends and family about your mentoring experience.
• Share a photo or story on social media showing a craft or project from your mentoring time, highlighting how much fun you have together.
• If you belong to a business, church, or community organization, please reach out to connect us! We would love to come present or set up an informational table for your group.
• Let us know about upcoming local festivals or events where TeamMates should be present.
• Directly nominate someone in your life who would make a great mentor by clicking the button below.

We can’t wait to welcome all of these new matches to the TeamMates Team this year!