Global Mentorship Initiative

Global Mentorship Initiative (GMI) is a non-profit organization that provides mentorship to college students to help them get their first job after college. This is accomplished through short-term, online mentorship with a business professional.
History
GMI was founded in 2019 by Jon Browning, a former Microsoft employee who was a Rockefeller Foundation partner for their Global Impact Sourcing Initiative. Sustainable jobs created in high unemployment geographies sometimes do not reach underserved populations who have the educational credentials that qualify them for those positions. This often includes the underserved, first generation college students, or those living at or below the poverty threshold.
GMI Programs
A GMI mentorship consists of 14 one-hour sessions with a mentor by video conference. The program teaches students how to build a professional network of over 500 business connections through LinkedIn.
Students learn how to use keywords for applicant tracking systems and their resumes/CVs to be found by job recruiters. They learn job interviewing techniques like the STAR Method to distinguish themselves from other candidates.
While students are seeking jobs and applying, their mentors coach them in how to be successful in their job search.
GMI Student and Refugee Programs
Since launching in March 2020, 1,100 students have enrolled in the mentorship program. GMI targets underserved students recognizing that underserved means something different in every country. For example, in the United States, it is defined as first generation college students, or those who require financial aid to attend school. In October 2020, GMI began a partnership with Southern New Hampshire University to provide mentorship for students living in eight refugee camps in Africa and Lebanon.
GMI Student Demographics
• 75% residing outside of the United States / 25% US-based
• 60% female
• 63% of US students are
• 13% of non-US students are refugees or displaced persons
Volunteer Mentors
GMI relies on a volunteer community of business professionals to mentor students around the world. Mentors are required to be 25+ and have at least a four-year degree in their chosen field.
Corporate partners like Microsoft and Clarivate make the GMI volunteer program available to their employees through their internal giving and volunteer programs.
University and Youth Association Partners
GMI has partnerships with several universities and youth associations who provide students in 35 countries.. The University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica is the largest GMI youth partner.

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