SOAR Scholar Mentorship
Opening doors through relationships.
SOAR Scholars receive more than scholarship support. Through mentorship, they gain access to professionals, leaders, and community builders who can help them ask better questions, explore career paths, and build confidence.
What mentors provide
- Career perspective and practical advice.
- Guidance on college, graduate school, technical careers, and professional paths.
- Encouragement during transition points.
- Exposure to fields students may not otherwise encounter.
- Examples of leadership, service, resilience, and purpose.
Why Mentorship Matters
Talent is everywhere. Access to networks is not.
SOAR was built on a simple belief: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Scholarships help remove financial barriers, but students also benefit from trusted adults who can answer questions, share lessons, and help them imagine what is possible.
The SOAR mentorship program connects scholars with professionals across law, business, education, technology, healthcare, entrepreneurship, community service, and leadership. These relationships are practical, flexible, and scholar-centered.
How It Works
An informal, scholar-led mentorship model.
Explore
Scholars review mentor backgrounds and identify people whose careers or life experiences interest them.
Reach Out
Scholars may email mentors, request calls, ask questions, or participate in mentor office hours.
Learn
Mentors offer advice, encouragement, perspective, and practical guidance based on the scholar’s goals.
Connect
Scholars and mentors may also meet through SOAR events, Summer Celebration, and community gatherings.
SOAR mentorship is not about having all the answers. It is about making sure students have people they can ask.
Access, encouragement, and relationships can change a path.
Mentor Network
Leaders across law, business, education, technology, healthcare, and service.
Career guidance
Mentors help scholars understand industries, roles, skills, and the decisions that shape long-term careers.
Practical support
Conversations may include resumes, interviews, internships, graduate school, technical pathways, and workplace expectations.
Community connection
SOAR Scholars are invited into a broader community of professionals who want to see them succeed.
Meet the Mentors
SOAR Scholar Mentors
Amber Russell
Founder · LOAR PLLC
Amber founded LOAR to help injured Texans seek justice and has built a career around advocacy, entrepreneurship, and community impact.
Available to discuss law school, trial work, entrepreneurship, and building a purpose-driven career.
Law
Entrepreneurship
Leadership
Jean Phillips
Austin Practice · LOAR PLLC
Jean focuses on personal injury and condemnation matters. She graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M and second in her class from St. Mary’s Law.
Available to discuss litigation, law school, advocacy competitions, and building a legal career.
Litigation
Law School
Advocacy
Ashley Pinto
Risk & Compliance Executive
Ashley is a senior executive in risk, compliance, and audit, advising boards and leadership teams across industries.
Available to discuss corporate careers, leadership, athletics and academics, and building credibility early.
Business
Leadership
Risk
Amy Beckstead
Employment Attorney
Amy advises organizations on workplace law and frequently trains executives, managers, and employees on employment practices.
Available to discuss employment law, workplace culture, legal careers, and professional communication.
Employment Law
Workplace
Training
Kemi Nelson
Data & Product Strategy
Kemi leads data strategy and product work in financial services and has built a global career across major institutions.
Available to discuss STEM careers, data, engineering, product strategy, and technical leadership.
STEM
Data
Product
Connie Ditto
Attorney & Mediator
Connie brings experience across litigation, mediation, and healthcare, with a background as a registered nurse.
Available to discuss law, mediation, healthcare, dispute resolution, teaching, and career transitions.
Mediation
Healthcare
Law
Lisa Williams
Educator & Global Mentor
Lisa is an educational professional with global experience in bilingual education, intervention, international service, and mentoring future teachers.
Available to discuss education, service, bilingual communication, teaching, global perspective, and community impact.
Education
Global Experience
Service
For Scholars
How to get the most from mentorship.
The best mentor conversations usually start with a real question. You do not need to know exactly what you want to do. You can ask about a career, a major, an interview, graduate school, technical training, balancing responsibilities, or how someone made important decisions along the way.
Come prepared, follow up with gratitude, and remember that mentorship is a relationship. One thoughtful conversation can become a long-term source of support.
Interested in supporting SOAR Scholars?
SOAR is always looking for people who believe in opening doors for the next generation through education, mentorship, and practical career support.
The community mentors join
Highlights from the 2024 Summer Celebration.