4/18/02

AU CITED BY ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR 'MENTOR ALABAMA' SUCCESS

AUBURN -- Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor has cited Auburn University for its success in recruiting participants for the Mentor Alabama program, aimed at helping young people become valued citizens who strengthen communities.

"I am pleased with the tremendous response from the individuals and organizations representing Auburn University that have embraced the future of our young people through their partnership with Mentor Alabama," Pryor said. "I thank them for joining in the important endeavor and commend them for their gifts of time, commitment and attention to children who need role models."

Julia James, a program advisor in AU's Office of Student Affairs who is coordinating Auburn's Mentor Alabama, says Pryor asked AU in November 2000 to take part in a program he was developing to fight juvenile crime.

"We were in contact with Lynn Childs, the attorney general's director of constituent affairs, first," said James. "Then Attorney General Pryor came to Auburn the following March and spoke to a group of student leaders. That's when we signed on as a signature partner for the program."

Auburn is one of 24 Mentor Alabama signature partners, which include other Alabama colleges and universities as well as civic and student organizations. Thus far, Mentor Alabama has recruited a total of 2,033 volunteers. With 245 volunteers, Auburn's mentors make up more than 12 percent of the statewide total.

And, according to James, Auburn continues to recruit volunteers.

"Project Uplift has been very involved in recruiting students to participate," James said. "Chris Nunn, the coordinator of Project Uplift, has done a great job. IMPACT has been involved and we've also recruited mentors through our U1000 and U1050 classes."

James said anyone choosing to participate in Mentor Alabama must undergo a free, non-fingerprint background check, provided by the attorney general's office, before being approved.

"Once the individual is approved and added to the volunteer database, they receive a welcome letter from Attorney General Pryor and get a list of mentoring opportunities in their region.

All students that register with Mentor Alabama have the option of either choosing to work with a particular organization or Mentor Alabama can make the connection," said James.

"If a university student registers and completes at least two semesters or its equivalent as a mentor then the attorney general will provide the student with a personal letter of commendation for community service, which will be included in the student's college record."

Nunn said the opportunity to earn the letter of commendation from the attorney general allows his program to give something back to the students that give freely of their time.

"Our students are doing basically what they've been doing before our involvement with Mentor Alabama -- working with young people at risk to try to turn them into contributing, positive-thinking young people," he said. "And they do it because they want to. But it's been wonderful to have the Mentor Alabama component because you always wish that you could do for the students that are volunteering with you. And this opportunity to earn this letter of commendation from the Attorney General allows us to give them something back for their time."

Mentor Alabama is designated as the official state affiliate of the National Mentoring Partnership, a partner of the America's Promise program, led by Colin Powell before he became secretary of state. According to the National Mentoring Partnership, mentored teens are 46 percent less likely to abuse drugs, 59 percent more likely to get good grades and 73 percent more likely to raise their goals.

Auburn's involvement as a signature partner of Mentor Alabama is also a part of its efforts as a University of Promise, a component of the America's Promise program.

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CONTACT: James, 334/844-4452; Chris Nunn, 334/844-4430; Attorney General's Office, 334/242-7440.