Building strong leaders through mentorship

Towson University will host a one-of-a-kind mentoring event on April 29, from 5–7 p.m. at the South Campus Pavilion: the Outstanding Young Student Leader Program Mentor Dinner.

The dinner, part of the Outstanding Young Student Leaders Program, is extremely popular. Students pair with professional women who have worked in fields that interest the students. This informal dinner lets students practice their business dinner etiquette and engage in lively conversation with other students and professional women. Mentors have said that they learn as much from the students as the students learn from them.

Students will meet and talk with 15 mentors from a variety of different fields and professions. Mentors include Dr. Gail Cunningham, retired chief of medicine at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center; Lisa Plowfield, TU’s dean of the College of Health Professions; Anna Stepanova, immigration law attorney; Cindy Jones, Vice President, First Financial Federal Credit Union; and Teri O’Neal, Towson University’s associate vice president for communications and media.

Honors College students will have the opportunity to explore career paths with these professional women and will also provide mentorship to the high school students at the dinner by answering questions about the college admissions process and their campus experiences. The evening will feature meaningful conversation, professional insights and peer mentorship—empowering tomorrow’s leaders today.

The program, now in its seventh year, is a partnership between Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) and TU. It is designed to help high school and college students become strong leaders and develop skills for their future careers. The program includes 40 female high school students from CCPS and BCPS and 30 TU Honors College students.

Presidential scholar and TU alum Nancy Grasmick, Ph.D., works to fund, design, pilot and assess innovative initiatives in education and leadership to improve opportunities for students, faculty and the greater community. She also founded the Nancy Grasmick Leadership Institute, which offers signature programs and professional coaching across industries for leaders in business, government and non-profit organizations.