At DAWNetwork, we strongly believe in the power of cross-cultural communities and peer mentoring. Each DAWN student is paired with a peer-to-peer mentor: a U.S.-based female high school in their sophomore or junior year of high school. Peer-to-peer mentors work hand in hand with our Syrian students throughout the three years of the program, working collaboratively on a research project during the first year, a community service project in the second year, and through the college application process in the third year. Peer mentors also get all of the same benefits of the program, including professional development opportunities, lessons in leadership development, and a strong community.

Eligibility:

*Female
*A rising sophomore or junior when applying to join as a peer-to-peer mentor (starting sophomore year in Fall 2021, Class of 2024)
*Able to commit on average four hours a week to connect with the community and their Syrian counterpart between August and March
*Enthusiastic about committing to the program for the full three years (2021-2024)
*Planning to attend a four-year college in the United States
*Willing to regularly participate in the community group chat
*Enthusiastic about connecting with female Syrian high school students based in the Middle East
*open-minded and willing to learn about other cultures and belief systems
*Fluent in English

About the 3-Year Program:

Programming includes:
*Monthly Community Calls
*Monthly webinars
*Monthly one-on-one meetings with DAWNetwork leadership
*Bi-weekly small group meetings
*Bi-weekly office hours
*Weekly English tutoring (for year 1)

Each year, participants will collaborate with their Syrian peer mentor pair on a project:
Year 1: Community service project
Year 2: Research project
Year 3: College applications