Nonprofit Team

OVERVIEW

LEAF is a 501(c)(3) California-based nonprofit that offers academic & professional-focused mentorship and resources for college students from underserved communities.

LEAF was founded on the principles of serving those who seek to change the world through their college education. The program supports those who seek help, no matter where they are on the academic success and professional development spectrum. By flipping the idea on its head of admitting students by ambition, drive, and hunger for success rather than merit, the organization believes it builds a safe space and community for students to grow exponentially. It is through this that LEAF seeks to level the playing field and provide college students from underprivileged communities with the chance to compete with their peers - effectively bridging the leadership, education, and resource gap.

HISTORY

LEAF was originally founded as the RM Mentorship Program by Raymond Mai in 2015. The program specifically served UCLA students from Raymond Mai’s alma mater: Mount Miguel High School (Spring Valley, CA)

In October 2016, LEAF was adopted with the intent to replace the RM Mentorship Program and expand the program to all UCLA students from underprivileged communities. In February 2017, the transition was complete and LEAF officially launched.

The mission and principles of the organization were built based on Raymond’s first-hand experience struggling to find effective resources while in college.

Raymond grew up in an underprivileged community in Southeast San Diego, and when he first attended UCLA, he struggled with the academic rigor and professional expectations that came with the college transition. Raymond under-performed in his first quarter at UCLA, notably due to his lack of disciplined study habits and lack of direction from academic peer support programs. Additionally, he sought membership in professional development student organizations but was repeatedly rejected because of both his under-performing grades and lack of professional experience.

Currently, LEAF has 1 chapter at UCLA that is run by a student-led organization (LEAF at UCLA). This model allows for an Undergraduate Leadership team to manage the day-to-day academic mentorship aspect of the program that is strictly between students, while the Core Leadership team (at the non-profit level) focuses on the professional development aspect; the organization plans to expand onto different campuses through the aforementioned franchising model with additional future funding.

Since the launch date, LEAF has grown exponentially year-over-year and continues to establish itself as the model mentorship program for underrepresented students who exemplify the drive to change the world and make an impact on their respective community.

CURRICULUM

At LEAF, we believe the totality of a student experience that occurs during the educational process should be forward thinking, holistic, comprehensive, and self-empowered.

We have built a curriculum that is both comprehensive in scope and dynamic in nature. Our programs provide a pathway to success from multiple ends of a student’s life: personally, academically, and professionaly

The LEAF Curriculum was built to be both comprehensive & dynamic. The curriculum consists of the following 6 pillars of student success:

• Academic Planning

• LEAF strongly resonates with the quote: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” For our students, we believe that positioning them for success will yield longer-term benefits. We do this through a Mentorship Program in which we utilize a holistic approach to a mentees education environment.

• At the beginning of the year, we require our Academic Mentors to work with their mentees on building out a course planning template for the school year; subsequently on a per semester / per quarter basis, we require our Academic Mentors to schedule one-on-one sessions with their mentees, provide mid-period updates, and develop academic plans by refining the previous one. By the end of the year, we require Academic Mentors to submit a 3-year plan that has been mutually approved with their mentee.

• The concept behind LEAF’s academic planning approach is to empower mentees to take control of their journey with the guidance and knowledge of someone who has been through the gauntlet before. While each mentees’ mentorship experience only lasts for their freshman year, we believe this is the most critical time period to position them for success.

• Professional Development

• LEAF focuses on providing an intensive and comprehensive program that encompasses the personal and corporate standards of behavior expected by professionals and companies.

• LEAF’s mentorship program provides opportunities that range from a single workshop to a year-long mentorship by an alumni who is currently an industry professional or graduate student.

• Our approaches to professional development include:

• Mentorship: To also promote an individual's awareness and refinement of his or her own professional development by providing and recommending structured opportunities for reflection, observation, and action

• Communities of Practice (General Programming): To improve professional practice by engaging in shared inquiry and learning with people who have a common goal.

• Technical Assistance (Resource Platform / Professional Network): To assist mentee improvement by offering resources and information, supporting networking and change efforts

• Case Study Method (Workshops): Teaching approach that consists of presenting the students with a case, putting them in the role of a decision maker facing a problem

• Lesson Study (Workshops): To solve practical dilemmas related to intervention or instruction through participation with other professionals in systematically examining practice

• Mental Health

• At LEAF, we stress the importance of mental health with respect to de-stigmatization, self-awareness, and preemptive tips.

• Our programs are designed to create a community and safe space in which students feel like they can be vulnerable.

• Both our Academic and Professional Mentors undergo orientation and training processes that prepare them to preliminarily assess and screen their mentees for any potential mental health issues. They serve as the first line of defense to ensure that all students feel safe not only within the LEAF community, but in their college campus community.

• LEAF continually seeks partnership with on-campus entities for specialist guidance as well as a way to disseminate a list of on-campus related resources to our students.

• Physical Health

• In conjunction with mental health, LEAF equally stresses the importance of positive physical health.

• While daily lifestyles and habits widely vary across all students, LEAF makes a conscious effort to promote healthy living habits specifically within day-to-day activities and personal upkeep.

• Academic and Professional Mentors are encouraged to understand their mentee’s lifestyles and provide guidance where necessary, whether through increased exercise, healthy eating, or better sleep.

• In conjunction with informal physical health guidance by mentors, LEAF makes a diligent effort to provide healthy food and snacks at all LEAF-sponsored events.

• LEAF believes that a healthy lifestyle directly correlates with long-term student success.

• Personal Finance

• LEAF believes that financial literacy during college is the key to creating financial safeguards for when the students begin to earn significant income.

• Through LEAF’s workshops and Professional Mentors, mentees receive direct access to industry professionals who are positive, financial decision makers.

• Mentees are educated on high-level personal finance concepts including income, budgeting, taxes, loans, rent, insurance, and credit.

• Social Acclimation

• Many LEAF mentees are typically the only one or one of a handful of students from their community who were accepted to their respective 4-year universities.

• Through LEAF’s Academic Mentors, mentees receive direct access to upperclassmen students who have a grasp of student life and many student-led, student-initiated organizations that their mentee may be interested in.

• In conjunction with mentorship, LEAF’s on-campus events are hosted by students and allows mentees, mentors, and general members (former LEAF mentees or mentors) to connect with one another.

• LEAF also seeks to partner with other on-campus organizations to leverage potential synergies and allow students to connect with peers outside of the community.