UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 20, Page 3
February 15, 1996
J.P. Morgan-UD cooperate in B&E mentoring program

     P. Morgan and the University's Fortune 2000 Program, which
provides academic and career-related suppport to minority students in
the College of Business and Economics, have become partners in a pilot
mentoring project designed for academically outstanding students in
the program, according to Terry Whittaker, assistant dean and Fortune
2000 director.
     Five freshmen who demonstrated academic achievement in high
school have been selected to participate in the J.P. Morgan/Fortune
2000 Mentoring Program. They receive scholarships, have opportunities
for summer employment and are matched with mentors who are recent UD
graduates employed by the firm in Delaware.
     The scholars and mentors, who are paired according to mutual
interests, met for a December orientation session with Trentton Mack,
vice president of human resources at J.P. Morgan and coordinator of
the program. They will continue to meet on an informal, individual
basis during the year. A field trip also is planned for the group to
visit J.P. Morgan's corporate headquarters in New York and the New
York Stock Exchange, Mack said.
     "This is a win-win situation," Mack said. "We have strong ties
with the University, and this program is designed to attract
academically gifted, minority students to the College of Business and
Economics. In return, the students will receive guidance and academic
support from the Fortune 2000 Program, an opportunity to interact with
mentors in the business world and also gain hands-on experience at
J.P. Morgan for three summers," he said.
     Whittaker said that positive role models play an important role
in motivating students to succeed. "The mentors provide a good
resource for the students in helping them develop and become
acclimated to a business environment. They act as coaches, interacting
with the students, giving them constructive suggestions and advice."
     According to the program guidelines, it is recommended that
mentors get to know the students, discuss their career interests,
share experiences, help identify resources for answering questions or
solving problems, give suggestions about handling situations and
developing professional and interpersonal skills. All information that
is exchanged is confidential.
     J.P. Morgan has pledged to contribute $150,000 over a six-year
period to support the Fortune 2000 Program in its goals to develop the
abilities and talents of minority students and increase the number of
minority business graduates. Currently, 137 students are served by the
program.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure