What is SMASH: Connect?
The SMASH:Connect Mentoring program matches SMASH alumni with STEM professionals in the Bay Area and beyond. The SMASH:Connect program is designed to support the academic, professional, and social development of SMASH alumni currently pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in the STEM fields at some of the nation’s most premiere colleges and universities. Through SMASH:Connect, mentors introduce their mentees to other STEM professionals, connect them to meaningful academic and professional STEM opportunities, and provide career development advice on wide range of topics.
Download the SMASH Alumni data sheet
SMASH:Connect Program Goals
Prepare students from underrepresented communities to be competitive for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related fields
Provide individualized learning and professional experiences to develop self-efficacy, leadership and persistence strategies for students from underrepresented communities to succeed in STEM degree programs and careers
Facilitate partnerships with leading technology companies in which will lead to greater diversity in the wider tech ecosystem
Foster a sense of career-focused community among SMASH alumni
Meet the 2015 SMASH:Connect Mentors
Dr. Annette Angus
The California Alliance
Maira Benjamin
Pandora
Gilbert Bernstein
Stanford Computer Science Department
Nikolas Block
UCSF Joint Medical Program
Alvaro Casanova
Center for Environmental Health
Erick Castellanos Gaither
Genentech
Greg Comstock
Pandora
Donnie DeBoer
Netflix
Nicholas Enea
ET Healthcare
Thomas Gaither Castellanos
UCSF, Dept. of Urology
Bonita Gutierrez
Litigation Attorney
DJ Kast
USC Joint Educational Project
Keidaw Kobbah
State of California
Frieda McAlear
LPFI
Nicole Moore
UCSF School of Medicine
Ashleigh Richelle
LinkedIn
Zedrick Scott
Verizon
Kiranbir Sodhi
Microsoft
Zee Spencer
Zinc
Donald Sumbry
Twilio
Peter Tan
Twilio