Celebrating a Successful Year of Workplace Mentoring

June 25, 2026

Our Friends First mentoring program recently celebrated another successful year of its workplace-based model at its annual end-of-year barbecue. The afternoon brought together mentors, mentees, and Mercy Home coworkers to reflect and celebrate the relationships they built over the last several months.

Part of a larger mentoring program that also features community and school-based models, the workplace-based program partners with local organizations Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and TransUnion, to connect employees with students from St. Malachy School. Throughout the school year, mentors and mentees meet at the corporate offices, participating in activities designed to strengthen social-emotional skills, build confidence, and create meaningful connections.

For mentor Ross Kooperman, who has participated in the program for two years, the experience has been incredibly rewarding. The volunteer said one of the program’s greatest strengths is how intentionally each session is designed.

“It’s been really nice,” Kooperman said. “My mentee is such a well-rounded kid. The best part has been seeing how the staff pick different topics that relate to the kids and how to deal with different situations that you might encounter in life,” he said.

As a mentor, Kooperman strives to provide the kind of support he wishes he had at that age.

“As a role model, I try to think about when I was 14 and what I needed,” he said.

For first-year mentor and Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath employee Jasman Sidhu, the experience quickly became one of the highlights of her year.

“I don’t think that I have giggled more than I have in these past few months with these kids,” Sidhu said. “It brings me so much life.”

Sidhu and coworker Kasia Crain often worked with the same pair of mentees, creating a unique dynamic that strengthened both relationships.

“Our mentees are attached at the hip, so we basically share mentees,” Sidhu said with a laugh. “They team up on us, so we gotta be friends.”

Crain said one of the most rewarding parts of the program has been watching trust develop over time.

“The best part has been seeing the kids grow and become more comfortable with us,” Crain said. “Each week it seems they tell us a little more about themselves and their goals.”

After participating for a second year, Crain already knows she’ll be returning.

Friends First Manager Katie Gunter said that the end of year barbecue serves as more than just a celebration. It’s an opportunity to recognize the commitment that the mentors and mentees have made throughout the year while offering a sense of closure.

“The barbecue is a fun way to formalize and wrap up the mentoring year,” Gunter said. “It’s a very nice tradition we have.”

The event featured relay races, food, ice cream, and an awards ceremony recognizing participants for qualities such as attendance, participation, leadership, engagement, and even karaoke skills. Every mentee received an award, while many mentors were also recognized for their work.

The barbecue also allows mentors from both corporate partnerships to come together.

“It’s nice for them to commingle and be a part of something larger than their one cohort of kids,” Gunter said.

Friends First participants have access to additional opportunities, including summer camp experiences, college tours, academic scholarships, and other supportive services. In some cases, workplace mentoring relationships continue even after students graduate from middle school.

“A couple of our workplace matches are looking at transferring to our community-based program,” Gunter said. “When that happens, it’s a really nice way to keep that impact going in a longer-term way.”

Having a mentor outside of a young person’s family who consistently shows up, listens, and believes in them can make a lasting difference.

“Someone who is there to support you and help see what is great inside of you,” Gunter said. “They do it because they want to be there. That says a lot to kids.”