Student organizations are a great way to make connections with other students on campus. One UMD student is launching an organization unlike any other social clubs on campus: A mentorship organization that allows students to help each other.

Second year student Naseem Farahid has been working on developing the new organization, which will be called Accepting You - The Hearth Guild.

“This organization is meant to be the warm home for all UMD students,” Farahid said. “We want to offer students the ability to feel the family here at UMD and network, as well as offer them the connections and resources they need to succeed in college and life.”

Farahid is a familiar face around campus: He was a RockStar during Bulldog Welcome Week 2018 and works as a tour guide. Photo by Madison Hunter

Accepting You recognizes that students may still have questions and need more help getting settled even after first-year programming like orientation and Bulldog Welcome Week.

“I know how much UMD has given me, like allowing me to be in the major that I truly love and meeting people who I consider to be more than friends—like family—so I want to share the amazing environment that UMD is and share it with incoming freshmen,” Farahid said.

The organization involves students serving as mentors to other students, helping them in whatever subject areas they’re knowledgeable about. For example, a mentor who knows a lot about physical fitness could have sessions teaching other students about weight-lifting.

“My hope is that [...] mentors get to know their groups on a personal level and to know that their students have at least one person to connect to at UMD,” Farahid said.

Farahid poses next to the fireplace in Ianni, an homage to Accepting You - The Hearth Guild’s name. Photo by Madison Hunter

Accepting You is still in the process of development, but will have a soft launch in Fall 2019.

“There is going to be tabling in the Garage and there are going to be posters around,” Farahid said. “We hope to start our club, get registered [...] so we can have a spot in the activities fair in the fall. It’s going to start a little small and get all of our resources in place and talk to other organizations.”

The organization will work on a micro and macro level. There will be larger events that many students may attend as well as other one-on-one or small group sessions. There will be opportunities for mentors to bond and hang out, and there may be workshops that allow students to learn new skills.

The new organization is meant to make UMD feel like home for every student, whether they’re in their first year on campus or their fifth. Photo by Madison Hunter

Accepting You is looking for mentors for the organization.

“Right now [we’re looking] for anyone who’s interested and we encourage our mentors to be from different backgrounds and experiences,” Farahid said. “I want people from different backgrounds and majors. We need both extroverts and introverts and your contribution could totally leave an impact on another person.”

If students are interested in learning more about the organization or applying to be a mentor, they can contact Farahid at farah189@d.umn.edu. Student organizations are also encouraged to contact Farahid if they are interested in collaborating on future events.

New student organization makes UMD feel like home