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Invitation to Serve: VU Mentor Leadership Program

Alumni mentoring student success

February 19, 2026

Invitation to Serve: VU Mentor Leadership Program

Dear Vincennes University Alumnus/Alumna,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to invite you to participate in an important new initiative at Vincennes University that is already beginning to make a meaningful impact in Dubois County.

This year, we launched the VU Mentor Leadership Program, an initiative designed to support high school sophomores and juniors as they begin exploring postsecondary education and career pathways. Through this program, carefully selected and trained VU students mentor local high school students using the structured PREPP Approach (Plan, Research, Evaluate, Prepare, Place). The goal is to provide clarity, confidence, and a guided pathway toward college, technical training, or career opportunities.

While our high school mentees are benefiting tremendously from this structured support, we recognize that our VU student mentors would likewise benefit from the insight, experience, and professional perspective of those who have successfully navigated education, career, and community leadership — our alumni.

For this reason, we are seeking distinguished alumni in the Dubois County region who are willing to serve as mentors to our VU student mentors. Your involvement would create a powerful, multi-layered mentorship model:

Alumni → VU Student Mentors → High School Students

This cascading mentorship structure strengthens not only individual students but also the broader community and workforce pipeline.

Why This Initiative Matters

  • Many of our participating high school students are first-generation college-going students, and some are immigrants or children of immigrants navigating unfamiliar systems.
  •  Early mentorship significantly increases clarity, motivation, and postsecondary persistence.
  • Alumni engagement reinforces Vincennes University’s mission and strengthens regional pride and visibility.
  • Building these relationships now contributes to sustainable enrollment growth and long-term institutional impact.

How You Can Contribute

We are asking alumni mentors to:

  • Serve as a professional mentor to one VU student mentor
  • Meet approximately once every 1–2 months (virtually or in person)
  • Offer career guidance, professional insight, and encouragement
  • Share leadership experiences and lessons learned
  • Help model the long-term value of a VU education

Your participation can be flexible and tailored to your availability. Even modest time commitments can yield profound influence.

Current Program Momentum

  • Four VU student mentors secured and trained
  • Twenty three high school mentees identified across Forest Park, Jasper, and Heritage Hills High Schools
  • Funding secured beyond initial projections, allowing for potential expansion

We are in the early stages of building what we believe will become a signature program for Vincennes University. It would be a privilege to have you involved at the foundational level — helping to shape a mentorship model that will serve future generations of students.

Your engagement represents not only service, but leadership — and a visible commitment to the continued strength of Vincennes University and the communities we serve.

If you would be willing to learn more about participating, I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you at your convenience.

Thank you for your continued support of Vincennes University and for the example you set as an alumnus/alumna.

Respectfully,

April Yap-Hennig
Director, VU Mentorship & Student Engagement Initiatives
Vincennes University
april.hennig@vinu.edu