Walton grant expands Latinx mentoring program

A three-year grant of nearly $500,000 from the Walton Family Foundation in Bentonville will help expand a mentoring program developed by the NWA Hispanic Leadership Council (NWA HLC).

The Latinx on the Rise mentoring program pairs college students from the University of Arkansas and NorthWest Arkansas Community College with professional leaders to provide them with experiences that complement their academics, such as relationship building and networking, and allow learning about leadership through coaching.

The Walton grant will allow participants to take advantage of paid internships, educational travel and professional development opportunities.

“In just three years, the NWA HLC has had over 30 graduates from the mentorship program,” said Luis Fernando Restrepo, a member of the NWA HLC board of directors. “We are happy to announce that the Walton Family Foundation has partnered with the NWA HLC to continue its mission and take the organization to the next level.”

The mentoring program started in 2019 with 10 pairs of mentors and mentees. In 2020, there were 20. This year’s cohort has 12 mentors/mentees, with the opportunity to add more participants during the semester.

The program follows the academic calendar year, beginning in August and running through the following year’s summer.

The NWA HLC is a community development nonprofit established by professional Hispanic leaders in 2017.