Meet Our New Members – Part I

This fall we are excited to welcome 11 new students and 22 new mentors to the Minds Matter Twin Cities program. We asked them a few questions to get to know a little about them. Read on for your introduction!

 (Left to right) Mentor: Brent Troxell, Management Analyst for Dakota County, Mentee: Matt H., Bloomington Kennedy High School, Mentor: Favio Soto, Service & Sales Representative for Cintas

BrentMattFavio

Brent: I joined Minds Matter because: I was looking for a consistent volunteer opportunity that involved youth. Education is important to me, so Minds Matter brought that all together.
I’m Watching: “Parenthood” & “New Girl”
I’m Reading: Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
I’m Listening to: James Blake

Matt: I joined Minds Matter because: I wanted to get involved in college prep activities and Minds Matter was recommended.
I’m Watching: “Chicago Fire”
I’m Reading: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
I’m Listening to: Country music

Favio: I joined Minds Matter because: I like the opportunity to help kids and get involved in the community.
I’m Watching: “Breaking Brad”
I’m Reading: Books on HTML coding
I’m Listening to: Mumford & Sons

 

Mentee: Gowshika K., Bloomington Kennedy High School, GowshikaNick
Mentor: Nick Branjord, Sr. Business Analyst Target Corp.

Gowshika: I joined Minds Matter because: College is a big thing for me. I really want to go and want the help to make sure I get into a good school.
I’m Watching: “Modern Family”
I’m Reading: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I’m Listening to: Korean music

Nick: I joined Minds Matter because: I think it’s important to extend opportunities to everyone – and to have some fun!
I’m Watching: “Modern Family”
I’m Reading: Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolar
I’m Listening to: Calvin Harris

 

 

 

PaolaCassie

Mentee: Paola P., Bloomington Kennedy High School,
Mentor: Cassie Meyers

Paola: I joined Minds Matter because: I wanted to experience a bit of what college is like, and the summer programs provide that opportunity.
I’m watching: I don’t watch TV!
I’m reading: my AP World History textbook
I’m listening to: Latino music

Cassie: I joined Minds Matter because: I just moved to Minneapolis from Montana and I thought it would be a great way to meet people and get involved.
I’m watching: Modern Family
I’m reading: Cooking Light Magazine
I’m listening to: Lana Del Rey

 

 

Mentor: Becca Sims, Research Fellow for the University of Minnesota, Mentee: Millyn B., Academy of the Holy Angels, Mentor: Nakeea Loser, Talent Acquisition

Becca: I joined Minds Matter because: BeccaMillynNakeea
furthering education is a passion of mine and
this organization was a really interesting opportunity to do that.
I’m watching: “Doctor Who”
I’m reading: Science and nature magazines
I’m listening to: Itunes Shuffle – whatever’s on my ipod!

Millyn: I joined Minds Matter because: My counselor told me about it and it seemed like an interesting opportunity worth getting involved in.
I’m watching: “American Horror Story”
I’m reading: The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
I’m listening to: The “sleep” station on Pandora

Nakeea: I joined Minds Matter because: I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself.
I’m watching: “Nashville”
I’m reading: The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner
I’m listening to: Justin Timberlake

 

Sarah C., Minneapolis College Prep, Vanessa Stromberg, Account at Target Corp., Anders Ulness, Assistant Relationship Manager  for U.S. Bank, Chi Y., Minneapolis College Prep

SarahVanssaAndersChiSarah: I joined Minds Matter because: ever since I was little I have wanted to go to college and change the world. I knew that this was the program that will help me accomplish my dreams.
I’m watching: “Doctor Who”
I’m reading: An Abundance of Katherines By John Green
I’m listening to: Demons by Imagine Dragons

Vanessa: I joined Minds Matter because: I really enjoyed the idea of working with students and sharing my insight to help them reach their full potential.
I’m reading: Lean In by Cheryl Sandberg

Anders: I joined Minds Matter to: give the motivated young people we work with broad exposure to the opportunities available to them for college and their careers.
I’m watching: “The Walking Dead” and “Orange is the New Black”
I’m reading: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
I’m listening to: Dessa & Ray LaMontagne


Chi: I joined Minds Matter because: 
In my family, no one went to college and I want to be the first to go to college.  I believe Minds Matter will help me get into college and experience what college life feels like.
I’m watching: “Criminal Minds”
I’m reading: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
I’m listening to: Backstreet Boys, Adele and Britt Nicole

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