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Board of County Commissioners

Higher Education Mentoring Initiative (HEMI)

Think about all the mentors in your life—a coach, a teacher, a neighbor, a parent. Where would you be without them? Now take a few minutes to consider how difficult it is for foster youth to establish such a bond. And how important such a bond could be—how important you could be.

In 2009 Commissioner Greg Hartmann, together with Hamilton County Job and Family Services Director Moira Weir, asked the University of Cincinnati to join the County in a partnership to develop the Higher Education Mentoring Initiative (HEMI) for Hamilton County Foster Youth.

Today the HEMI partnership is looking for mentorswho want to make a difference in the life of a child and empower that child with a lifetime of learning and skills that they might not otherwise find.

For many foster youth, attending a college, university or technical school may not seem like an attainable goal; even finishing high school can be a struggle. In 2008, only 45 of the 150 Hamilton County foster youth enrolled in high school received a diploma and only a few went on to pursue higher education.

If you decide to make the commitment to become a higher education mentor you’ll be paired with a Hamilton County foster child currently in high school. You’ll talk to him or her about higher education, about choices, and about preparing for life after high school. You’ll show him or her that they are not alone, that someone is listening. And you won’t be left alone, either. You’ll be trained by Job and Family Services, as well as University of Cincinnati staff through a structured, guided, pre-set curriculum.

Interested in becoming a mentor or have questions about becoming a mentor? Contact Annie Dick, program coordinator at the University of Cincinnati, 513-556-4368. annie.dick@uc.edu.

Need more information about the Higher Education Mentoring Initiative for Hamilton County Foster Youth partnership? Contact Kristen Kameen in Commissioner Hartmann’s office at the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners at 513-946-4405 or