Share Your Advice with a Mentee

Ben Nguyen is a first-generation college student who came to the U.S. from rural Vietnam when he was 14. He had watched American movies as a child, but it never crossed his mind that he would actually live there. Everything was different, from the food and weather, to the diversity of people, to his opportunities for education.

Ben wasn’t sure what to do once he graduated from high school. He didn’t have anyone to guide him on his education and career. He worked restaurant jobs and gigs but nothing with a strong career path. He saved enough to start community college but he knew he couldn't do it all on his own. He set out to find a mentor and his research led him to StreetWise Bridge. He applied right away, was accepted, and started working with his mentor to build essential skills like drafting emails, writing a strong resume, networking, and interviewing.

StreetWise Partners played a pivotal role in helping him break the cycle of poverty. While in the program he completed his degree in computer science and then landed an internship at NASA. Everything he worked on with his mentor at StreetWise culminated with this milestone.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity I’ve had at NASA and thank my mentor for everything,” says Ben. “Without that first step with StreetWise, I would not be where I am today. It’s like compound interest – as long as I have an initial investment and someone investing in me like my mentor did, I will keep growing and growing.”

Today, Ben is finishing his Computer Science degree and continuing the work he started at StreetWise to land his next job opportunity. Ben welcomes your advice for his job search and career activation!