Champions of Mentorship
At Raymond James, we believe in the transformative power of mentorship.
Our dedication to giving back to the communities where we live and work is reflected in our active participation in mentorship programs across the Tampa Bay area, among them: the Big Brothers Big Sisters School-to-Work program, Pinellas Education Foundation’s Take Stock in Children and Lunch Pals programs and the USF Corporate Mentor Program.
These partnerships represent our commitment as a firm to making mentorship – and the opportunities that stem from mentorship – accessible to students of all ages. By providing guidance, support and positive influence, mentors help students improve their academic performance, stay in school and eventually move into rewarding careers.
We understand that mentorship isn’t just about academic success; it’s about empowering students to realize their full potential in life.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters School-to-Work program
Big Brothers Big Sisters has served children in the Tampa Bay area for over 60 years, and over 100 years nationwide.
Chris Letsos, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, said, “Our goal is to show students that anything’s possible for them, and that they can find support and opportunities right here in their backyard. For mentors and mentees alike, the most significant impact comes from simply showing up.”
A conscious decision was made a decade ago to expand the organization’s approach to mentoring – marking the official beginnings of the School-to-Work program. The program is a collaborative effort involving school districts and corporate partners, like Raymond James.
One-to-one mentorship provides “Littles” (students) with exposure to workplace environments and, with the help of “Bigs” (mentors), opens access to different pathways in life. Those pathways range from helping students enroll in further education after high school to enlisting in the military or finding employment.
Chris Butler, senior vice president of investment solutions and Big Brothers Big Sisters board member, said, “Many of our associates see the value in investing extra time and resources into the lives of students from under-resourced communities, a significant part of which is driven by our Community Impact team.”
Letsos said, “Our support doesn’t stop once high school graduation comes around. Our Big Futures program helps us stay connected and serve Littles up until the age of 26 to ensure they’re equipped to find their place and go on to thrive in the world.”
Raymond James and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay have been formal partners since 2005, and because both organizations are focused on giving back to the community it makes the partnership a truly strong and sustainable match.
The Pinellas Education Foundation: Take Stock in Children and Lunch Pals
The Pinellas Education Foundation has been focused on uniting our community in support of quality public education since 1986. Mentorship programs are an essential element of this support.
Take Stock in Children provides scholarships, mentors and hands-on support to low-income students, ultimately helping them achieve a college education. Students are paired with mentors who offer a combination of guidance and inspiration alongside school-based ambassadors who help to track each student’s progress.
Kim Jowell, CEO of Pinellas Education Foundation, said, “Mentorship holds a unique kind of power. The Take Stock in Children initiative provides access to resources and connections. We have numerous success stories, including one of a student who aspired to become an eye doctor but had no connections in that field. Their mentor paired them up to shadow an eye doctor, and from that experience the student found the spark to go on to study optometry at college.”
The success rates of Take Stock in Children speak for themselves. 96% of students in the program graduate high school on time and 72% go on to complete college.
Lunch Pals makes mentorship easy and accessible, allowing mentors to spend 30 minutes a week with their mentees during the students’ school lunch break. The program is based around the belief that one-on-one relationships with a caring, supportive adult can be life changing for students – especially those facing social, economic, academic and/or family challenges.
Jowell said, “Partners like Raymond James help us increase the visibility of our work so that other organizations and corporations can become partners and contribute to investing in education, in turn, building a more sustainable and prosperous community for everyone. The broader our support, the more credibility and impact our work has in the community.”
The USF Corporate Mentor Program
The Corporate Mentor Program at the USF Muma College of Business is designed to support juniors and seniors who are among the first in their families to attend college. Since the first cohort in 1987, this mentorship program has helped guide students in discovering career paths as well as pursue success in their professional, academic and social lives.
Their mission is to help first-generation students proactively design their careers and lives to meaningfully align with opportunities across their lifetime.
Olivia Davis, director of the USF Corporate Mentor Program, said, “With the help of mentors, our goal is to help students explore their career and life visions while they’re in college to develop the skills they need to ascend throughout their career. We leverage mentorship to connect students with professionals who are passionate and who can pass on wisdom to the next generation.”
In Tampa Bay alone, participants in the Corporate Mentor Program have access to a strong hub rich with organizations full of experienced professionals willing to support college students.
Davis said, “Raymond James is undeniably a huge advocate of USF students, having mentored and hired many alumni over the years. It’s incredible to see professionals from all levels of the business, including executives, participate in the program and share their knowledge with students.
We want to broaden students’ perspectives and give them the puzzle pieces to advocate for themselves successfully, whether through corporate tours or networking events. Connecting students with resources and mentorship opportunities can be fundamentally game-changing.”
Our collective impact
Over the 2023-2024 school year, more than 170 Raymond James associates served as mentors across these four programs.
Raymond James Cares
Together, we make a difference to build, strengthen and grow our communities. To learn more about the firm’s corporate philanthropy, click here.
To see how associates give back all year long, follow Raymond James on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.