2016-17 Tiered Community Mentoring Program participants.
Photos by Mike Vigneux.
The Massachusetts Bar Association's
Tiered Community Mentoring (TCM) Program officially entered its
eighth year with a kickoff event at the John Adams Courthouse on
Oct. 28.
After a welcoming address from MBA
President Jeffrey N. Catalano and an overview of the program from
Hon. Angela M. Ordoñez, chief justice of the Probate and Family
Court, mentors and mentees listened to a presentation on "The Art
and Importance of Networking," given by Quaime V. Lee, associate
director of professional and career development at Suffolk
University Law School.
The event also featured guest
speakers Hon. Paula M. Carey, chief justice of the Massachusetts
Trial Court, and Hon. Kimberly S. Budd, associate justice of the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Both Carey and Budd spoke
about the importance of mentoring.
"A mentor really affects the
professional and personal life of his or her mentees, fostering
insight, identifying needed knowledge and expanding growth and
opportunities," said Carey.
"In the jobs where I've had a mentor
or somebody who was looking out for me and making sure that I got
opportunities, somebody who advised and believed in me, in those
cases that's where I had the most success," added Budd.
The MBA's TCM Program provides high
school, undergraduate and law school students access to legal
professionals; an understanding of the legal profession; and an
awareness of the career opportunities available. Participating
schools are Brighton High School, Community Academy of Science and
Health, Fenway High School, Roxbury Community College, New England
Law Boston, Northeastern University School of Law, Suffolk
University Law School and UMass Law School Dartmouth.