Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County’s Big Careers program
pairs male community college students with professional male mentors, powered by MentorPRO’s goal-focused matching, flash mentoring, and MentorAI to close persistence and career-readiness gaps for one of higher ed’s highest-risk student groups.
The Challenge
Male community college students face a number of challenges that put them at high risk for attrition. Enrollment among men at public two-year institutions fell by roughly 14 percent between fall 2019 and fall 2020, compared to a 6 percent decline among women, with men of color hit hardest (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2020). These trends reflect deeper structural realities: only about 20 percent of first-generation students report having networked with a professional in their field, and male students in particular often arrive on campus without strong academic preparation, consistent father figures, or access to the professional networks that research shows are critical to persistence and completion (Anderson et al., 2019).
How MentorPRO Powers It
MentorPRO provides the technological backbone for the partnership. The platform’s goal-focused matching system pairs students with mentors whose professional experience aligns with their career aspirations, and its flash mentoring functionality allows students to connect briefly with a range of professionals for just-in-time guidance without requiring the long-term commitment that can deter busy mentors from volunteering. MentorAI serves as a scientific co-pilot for mentors, surfacing evidence-based suggestions and synthesizing interaction data to help mentors navigate difficult conversations and support students more effectively, while keeping the human relationship at the center.
A specialized retrieval-augmented generation model focused on positive masculinity, role model development, and mentoring practices for male youth will be trained specifically for this program, and mentor training content will be delivered through MentorPRO Academy. Weekly check-ins, secure messaging, and real-time dashboards for program coordinators ensure that relationships remain active and that students who are struggling are identified and supported before problems become crises.
