Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC, Nike team to mentor migrant students

Photos and story by James Hill

Nike’s Latino and Friends Network and Portland Community College’s College Assistance for Migrants Program have joined forces this summer to create a mentorship program for the CAMP students at the Rock Creek Campus, 17705 N.W. Springville Road.

Seven Rock Creek students have been chosen by Nike’ Latino and Friends Network to be mentored by Nike employees. They include Roy Gomez (Beaverton), Isidro Interian (Aloha), Sandra Soto (Cornelius), Maria Araceli Rebolledo Salgado (Cornelius), Jose Lopez (Forest Grove), Juan Ramirez Alonso (Hillsboro), and Izequiel Lopez Jr. (Cornelius). The students all come from migrant worker backgrounds and are first-generation college students.

“I’m thrilled that the relationship between CAMP and Nike has come to fruition and I would like to see the program expand next year,” said Teresa Alonso, CAMP director. “I also hope that the students maintain their relationship with their mentors informally. Ideally, we would like to see Nike internships available to CAMP students. That is a good goal for us.”

After interviewing the student candidates, officials from Nike and PCC paired them with mentors from the shoe and apparel company based on the students’ goals and their mentors’ professional backgrounds, which include finance, retail, marketing and childcare. The pairs are scheduled for monthly group meetings all summer to complete three professional development projects.

CAMP student Isidro Interian, a native of Yucatan, Mexico, said his parents were agricultural workers when they first arrived to Oregon, though his mother now works at a potato factory and his father works as a janitor. He is dually enrolled at Aloha High School and PCC though the Early College program, a partnership between the Beaverton School District and PCC. He has made Dean’s List and Honor Roll and he hopes to major in education and teach kindergarten someday.

He hopes to learn time management, communication and leadership skills through the Nike program. Interian is interested in physical activity as part of education, particularly for young children.

“Nike’s creativity can help me later on in working with kids,” Interian said. “As a next step, I would like to volunteer for Nike’s soccer camp. This is networking for the future.”