Dreamer to Dreamer is a National initiative that pairs College Dreamers with Alumni Dreamers to provide high‐touch, one-on‐one mentorship to support Dreamers in navigating the challenges of transitioning from high school, to college, career, and beyond. Our Alumni Dreamers have walked in the shoes of our College Dreamers and have a deep understanding of what is needed to persist and graduate with a degree. Through monthly milestones achieved through in‐person meetings, online check‐ins, group gatherings, and more, alumni Dreamers will help their younger counterparts successfully overcome the stumbling blocks that often stymie the most talented students from graduating from college.

Thank you to the Denver and New York affiliates for participating in this pilot phase where Dreamers have been paired with alumni from places such as Florida, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Washington, DC, representing seven affiliates.

Below are some reflections about Dreamer to Dreamer:

“It has been very surreal and feeling like my Dreamer experience has come around full circle. Never would I have imagined that the same things I used to seek MY mentor for advice are now the same things I am GIVING advice for. At the same time, I truly feel like this is a microcosm of what makes IHDF and the mentor experience so amazing.”
-Jonathan Williams, Dreamer Alumnus

“What I have liked about my mentoring experience is that I’m being given advice to help me plan ahead and succeed in my coming classes. Also it feels good to know that someone had gone through the same experience as you and knows how you feel!”
– Meiyun Chen, College Dreamer

“What do I appreciate most about Dreamer to Dreamer is that it provides our Dreamers with another resource outside of the regular program staff and people that [they] see every day. We are always talking to them about networking and building a circle, support team, and Dreamer to Dreamer mentoring provides them with that opportunity to build a completely separate relationship than what they would have had with regular staff that they see all the time.”
– Karlisle Honore, Director of College Success, NY Office

Learn more about Dreamer to Dreamer mentoring—and alumni, sign up to be a mentor—here!