Refugee Student Mentor Program
In spring 2015, Middle Eastern Studies (MES) began a collaboration with the Austin Independent School District (AISD) to not only provide an essential service to our community but to also provide volunteer opportunities for UT students with foreign language skills to serve as mentors to refugee students in AISD schools.
MES works with the AISD Refugee Support Office to assign volunteers to a specific school, and each student serves as a mentor to a small number of refugee students in that school for approximately 2-5 hours per week. MES also provides practical programmatic and language training to new student volunteers each semester.
The program seeks to help refugee children adapt to their new lives in America and acclimate to their roles as students. While many of these schools have English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, these programs are not well-suited for teaching students who speak Arabic or other languages not long-established in the Austin area. The Refugee Student Mentor Program not only fills a need within the local community, but it allows our students to learn about the cultures and experiences of refugees who are starting their new lives in America.
How To Get Involved
Students
If you are a UT Austin undergraduate or graduate student and you would like to put your language training to use helping students in the Austin community, please contact Bryan Sitzes. Student volunteers must complete AISD paperwork and attend a training session prior to volunteering.
Schools
If your school is interested in learning more about our program, please contact Bryan Sitzes.
Donate
When you give to the MES Refugee Student Mentor Program, you become a part of a program that impacts both UT Austin students as well as families all over the Austin area. Our students benefit from using the language(s) they learn at UT Austin, they gain professional experience, and they have a lasting impact on the community. Gifts from our friends and alumni help MES continue this important work in the community, creating a sustainable program that will benefit students and families for years to come.
Visit our giving page to learn more about giving to this or other MES programs.
Refugee Student Mentor Program in the News
2021
CBS Austin
Austin ISD prepares to welcome more Afghan families to school
Community Impact
Austin ISD preps to welcome Afghan refugee students whose parents worked for U.S.
The Daily Texan
UT program provides mentorship to refugee students relocated from Afghanistan
KXAN Austin
How UT is adapting its refugee mentor program amid influx of Afghan students
2020
The Daily Texan
Mentoring groups continue to support students in virtual setting
2019
Life & Letters: College of Liberal Arts Magazine
2018
Humanities for All
Goals of the Publicly Engaged Humanities, featuring the Refugee Student Mentor Program
Refugee Student Mentor Program Profile
2017
KUT FM
UT Mentor Program Offers Young Refugees More Than Just A “Hello” In A Familiar Language
Refugees Are Leaving Austin, But It’s Not Because of a Travel Ban
YouTube
Refugee Student Mentor Program: UT Austin Students Volunteer to Help Refugee Children
2016
Austin American-Statesman
Commentary: Doss Elementary models support for its refugee families