At Summer Search, mentoring is our everything. Throughout our 32 years of partnering with (and learning from) our participants, our staff have continued to innovate and evolve the many ways that we develop empowering and meaningful relationships with our Summer Searchers.

One such evolution has been Career Coaching programs, connecting our students and alumni to local volunteers and supporters who can provide mentoring for their career and life journeys. Now, with the launch of Summer Search CONNECT, our online platform can easily link our young people with a network of professionals, leaders, jobs, and resources from anywhere in the world!

Just like Andre Jones, a Seattle Summer Searcher, who is currently a student at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington. Through a recommendation from his mentor Therese, Andre was able to form a coaching relationship with Dr. Marc Spencer, Summer Search's CEO, via CONNECT.

WATCH Andre & Marc discuss their Coaching CONNECTion:

"I just thought it was a dope opportunity to meet a CEO," Andre explains. "One of the things that I talked to my mentors about... is about either being a CEO or being a business owner. That's something I've always found that I've been passionate about."

More than two years after their introduction, Andre's and Marc's coaching relationship is still going strong. Marc has helped facilitate several opportunities for Andre via CONNECT, including an externship in nonprofit consultant work with Summer Search partners, Paragon.

For Marc, being a coach has been a truly rewarding experience. As he says to Andre:

"Every time I connect with you it's inspiring. I learn as much from you as I hope, in terms of some of the coaching advice that you get from me. So it's a real reciprocal learning experience."

The two had the opportunity to connect in person this past summer in Seattle.

Right now Andre, aka "Future CEO", is in Granada, Spain on a semester abroad program, as part of his Hispanic Studies major. He and Marc plan to keep in touch.

When asked why other Summer Search students should take advantage of the CONNECT coaching program, Andre says: "In life, everybody needs a coach...
 through CONNECT and through Summer Search, you have a fairly large network of people who are dedicated to helping you."

He adds, "Tap in. It's not hard. It's easy."

Watch Andre's and Marc's full conversation here >>

We're grateful for the impactful connections being made every day in our network, whether virtually or in person. Stay tuned for more CONNECT Conversations.

Find Andre on Summer Search CONNECT >>

Videos edited by Edgar Garcia (Robot Boy Productions), Summer Search Bay Area Alumnus.