RAND mentors Stephen Varone and Michael Larkin along with mentees and Mentoring USA's founder Matilda Raffa Cuomo live on the Nasdaq building in Times Square.
As part of our RAND Gives Back initiative of charitable giving, RAND partners with Mentoring USA's Corporate Employee Mentoring Program to mentor students from City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology. Twice a month, RAND's volunteer mentors, led by RAND President Stephen Varone, meet with students to help with homework assignments, life skills, community service, and career development. Highlights for this year's program include a field trip to the Empire State Building and a project to design a passive house.
Thanks to a very special invitation from Samantha McQuibban, Senior Program Manager from Mentoring USA, RAND mentors and mentees were thrilled to be among those attending Nasdaq’s opening bell ceremony last Wednesday to celebrate National Mentoring Month and honor Mentoring USA.
Adding to the excitement, the founder of Mentoring USA, Matilda Raffa Cuomo, was also attendance. As first lady of New York State, Mrs. Cuomo established the New York State Mentoring Program and laid the groundwork for what would one day become Mentoring USA. In 1995 Mentoring USA became a non-profit organization, and since its inception, it has provided mentors—RAND proudly among them—for more than 5,000 children.
The opening bell ceremony did not disappoint. Along with our mentees and mentoring groups from Bloomingdales, New York Junior League, and St. Ann School , we enjoyed a few words from Mrs. Cuomo before all joining her on stage on live television for our 15 seconds of fame and to ring the opening bell. (Click here to view Matilda Raffa Cuomo’s “Behind the Bell” interview from Nasdaq.)
Judging from the ear to ear smiles, the adults enjoyed the event just as much as the kids! Sharing this experience with our wonderful mentees, Samantha, and the woman who made it all possible, Matilda Raffa Cuomo, made the morning all the more special.
RAND is very excited for our continued partnership with Mentoring USA, and we look forward to more enriching experiences with our mentees.
For more photos from the day, check out our album on Facebook.
Joanna Kuther is RAND’s Operations Manager.
