Michigan Mentors

Michigan Mentors is a summer program designed to help remove the barriers preventing high school students from entering STEM careers, such as medicine and computer science. We hope to provide students in underserved areas (who may not know anyone working in these fields) with mentorship and exposure to these careers. Through our free program, we seek to break down the financial and academic barriers and to help increase the representation of underserved groups in these STEM fields.

Our 1-2 month career workshops are completely free and will give students the chance to hear from professionals in their respective desired fields. Students will gain the necessary content and professional (resume building, interview prep, etc.) knowledge to enter the field at a collegiate level.

Program Offerings

Computer Science

The Computer Science Michigan Mentors Program will help students learn introductory Python and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning applications. No experience is necessary to join!

After taking this class, students with no previous coding experience will be able to utilize basic programming concepts to solve complex, real-world problems. Students will start or continue developing a project resume by completing a final project in small groups. Additionally, students will gain an in-depth understanding of various professions in the field of Computer Science (industry, research, etc.).

New this year, our curriculum will be designed with the help of Aiphabet, a non-profit organization started by a Columbia University CS Professor.

Pre-Health

The Pre-Health Michigan Mentors Program caters to students passionate about medicine, offering an in-depth exploration of the field. Through this program, students will acquire insights into various medical specialties, understanding the distinct training and duties of healthcare professionals.

Weekly discussions with healthcare professionals will provide invaluable exposure to the aspects of different roles in both in-patient and out-patient settings. Lastly, participants will delve into the pathophysiology of common diseases and conditions, deepening their understanding of the healthcare field.

Course Details

  
  Course Information
  
    Computer Science
    Pre-Health
  
    Class Length
    6 weeks
    4 weeks
  
    Session Frequency
    4 sessions (3 mandatory, 1 optional) per week — 1 hour per session
    3 sessions per week — 1 hour per session
  
    Lectures
    Students will learn basic coding concepts and best practices. Students will learn how to create and implement their own programs. There are 2 lectures per week.
    
      Students will learn basic anatomy and physiology of the respective specialty being covered in the context of various common medical problems related to the specialty (e.g. learning about the heart in the context of what causes a heart attack). Each week covers a different specialty throughout the lectures on the field of medicine.
    
    Career Workshop
    
        Students will practice concepts learned in lecture through instructor-created practice problems. Instructors will hold “office hours” during this time where students can ask questions and get help with their projects. There is 1 practice session per week.
    
      Students will learn about different healthcare professions and the training required for each respective specialty. Students will learn about valuable extracurricular experiences such as research or clinical positions and how to obtain them (required for admission to schools for medical, nursing, PA, etc.). Students will also participate in general career building activities such as resume building workshops.
    
    Additional Sessions
    
      AI/ML Session — Students will learn how AI/ML are applied in a variety of fields through interactions with professionals. Additionally, students will learn conceptual AI/ML topics.
    
      Speakers — Students will engage with a healthcare professional who will discuss their specific responsibilities and their previous training. Speakers will also discuss a clinical procedure or phenomena in the context of a real case they have experienced.
    
    Example Topics Covered
    
      - Introduction to Operating Systems and Coding

      - Syntax, Types, and Variables

      - Listse

      - Booleans Logic

      - Loops

      - Errors and Scope

      - Numpy, Pandas, and Plotly Libraries

      - Data Visualization
    
      - Cardiovascular System: Cardiac Arrest and Treatment

      - Nervous System: Strokes, Dementia, and Other Brain Conditions

      - Medical, Nursing, PA School Application Workshop

      - Clinical Opportunities (EMT, CNA, medical scribe, etc.)

	Computer Science	Pre-Health
Class Length	6 weeks	4 weeks
Session Frequency	4 sessions (3 mandatory, 1 optional) per week — 1 hour per session	3 sessions per week — 1 hour per session
Lectures	Students will learn basic coding concepts and best practices. Students will learn how to create and implement their own programs. There are 2 lectures per week.	Students will learn basic anatomy and physiology of the respective specialty being covered in the context of various common medical problems related to the specialty (e.g. learning about the heart in the context of what causes a heart attack). Each week covers a different specialty throughout the lectures on the field of medicine.
Career Workshop	Students will practice concepts learned in lecture through instructor-created practice problems. Instructors will hold “office hours” during this time where students can ask questions and get help with their projects. There is 1 practice session per week.	Students will learn about different healthcare professions and the training required for each respective specialty. Students will learn about valuable extracurricular experiences such as research or clinical positions and how to obtain them (required for admission to schools for medical, nursing, PA, etc.). Students will also participate in general career building activities such as resume building workshops.
Additional Sessions	AI/ML Session — Students will learn how AI/ML are applied in a variety of fields through interactions with professionals. Additionally, students will learn conceptual AI/ML topics.	Speakers — Students will engage with a healthcare professional who will discuss their specific responsibilities and their previous training. Speakers will also discuss a clinical procedure or phenomena in the context of a real case they have experienced.
Example Topics Covered	- Introduction to Operating Systems and Coding - Syntax, Types, and Variables - Listse - Booleans Logic - Loops - Errors and Scope - Numpy, Pandas, and Plotly Libraries - Data Visualization	- Cardiovascular System: Cardiac Arrest and Treatment - Nervous System: Strokes, Dementia, and Other Brain Conditions - Medical, Nursing, PA School Application Workshop - Clinical Opportunities (EMT, CNA, medical scribe, etc.)

Registration closed for 2025!

Thank you to everyone who registered in the Michigan Mentors program! We are holding our first sessions 6/23. Please check back next year for more program!

FAQ’s

The MZB Michigan Mentors program aims to expose high school students to careers in fields such as medicine and computer science and prepare them for respective graduate school application or interview processes.
Maize and Blue Tutors is a for-profit tutoring organization. Michigan Mentors is a completely free program run by the staff of Maize and Blue Tutors. Please visit our about us page for more information!
The Michigan Mentors program is run by students at the University of Michigan with significant experience in specific careers. Our teachers are 99th percentile students who have interned at Fortune 500 companies, participated in groundbreaking research, and have years of prior tutoring experience. Obviously, we aren’t professionals in these fields yet. That’s why we bring in professionals on a weekly basis to help!
The Michigan Mentors program is completely free for all students. The only requirements are that students have access to a computer and internet. To apply, students will have to fill out a short application to demonstrate their interest due to the large interest in our program!
Our members have excelled in their respective fields and are looking to share the tips and tricks that helped them succeed with high school students. Additionally, Maize and Blue Tutors seeks to remove the financial barriers of career preparation and make education accessible to all students.
These classes will be held in the summer of 2024. Students are expected to participate in all mandatory sessions (around 3-4 hours per week). Classes will be held after work hours/on weekends to avoid any conflicts.