Campus Connections
Mentor, Support, and Inspire
Campus Connections is a wellness and resiliency-oriented service-learning course that pairs UCCS students and youth from the community in mentor-mentee relationships.
Campus connections was originally developed by our partners at Colorado State University (CSU) and spread to our partners at the University of Northern Colorado who have generously collaborated with us to bring Campus Connections to UCCS and Colorado Springs.
To keep up with the latest news on Campus Connections, stay connected with our News and Updates page.
Mentorship
Mentors spend four hours once a week with their mentee providing academic support, career planning, and promoting positive social skill development.
Explore our mentorship program, including how to become a mentor, see the schedule, and more.
Partnerships
Youth are referred through our El Paso County Community partners and are matched with a UCCS student who provides one-on-one therapeutic mentoring throughout the semester.
Explore our referral partnerships, including how to become a partner, and more.
Youth and Family
UCCS mentors support youth in building goals while providing a supportive environment to help them achieve those goals. Campus Connections takes place on UCCS’s campus, giving participants exposure to university life and the potential to explore the possibilities of lifelong learning.
Explore what you can expect as a participant in this program, including benefits and expectations.
Support Us!
You can fuel our success! Make a donation to Campus Connections today!
Research and Scholarship
Publications
- Stark, C., Estrada, S., Rockwell, E., Severn, K., Burr, B., McTernan, L., Stutey, D., & Cammell, M. (accepted – in press December 2022). Campus Connections Youth Mentoring Program: Lessons in Ethical Development. The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching.
- Stark, C., Wehrman, J., Stutey, D., Solis, A., Severn, K., Cammell, M., Gloden, H., Enkler, K. & Notestine, L. (2022). Therapeutic Mentoring for At-promise Youth: A Grounded Theory Study of Mentors’ Adaptation during the COVID-19 Crisis. Journal of Human Services: Special Interdisciplinary Issue.
- Stark, C., Wehrman, J., Severn, K., Cammell, M., & Solis, A. (2020). Campus Connections youth mentoring program: Cultivating connection during the COVID-19 crisis, The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching, 1(13), 84-89.
- Stark, C., Severn, K., Stutey, D., Wehrman, J., Gwynn, S., Souligny, C., & Bear, A. (2021). Youth Mentor Programming: Cultivating Youth Resiliency and Digital Citizenship in a Virtual World, The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching, 5(14), 272-278.
- Stark, C. & Tapia-Fuselier Jr. (2022). University-based Therapeutic Youth Mentorship Program Quantitative Digital Citizenship Study: Adapting to the Online Environment. In SAGE Research Methods: Doing Research Online.
- Stutey, D., Solis, A., Severn, K., Notestine, L., Enkler, K., Wehrman, J., Cammell, M. (2022). Perceptions of At-Promise Youth in a Therapeutic Youth Mentoring Program, The Professional Counselor. Volume 12, Issue 1, Pages 17–35
In Progress
- Stutey, D. M., Enkler, K., Solis, A., Stark, C. Severn, K., Cammell, M., Wehrman, J., & Rogalla, K. (revise and resubmit). Photo-elicitation and at-promise youth: Utilizing photos to share perceptions of self and identity. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health
Presentations
- Stark, C., Estrada, S., Rockwell, E., Severn, K., Burr, B., McTernan, L., Stutey, D., & Cammell, M. (2022, October 25). Campus Connections Therapeutic Youth Mentoring Program: Lessons in Ethical Development. UNM 15th Annual Mentoring Conference: Fostering Diverse Communities of Mentorship, Albuquerque, NM.
- Stark, C., Severn, K., Stutey, D., Wehrman, J., Gwynn, S., Souligny, C., & Bear, A. (2021, October 9). Campus Connections Digital Citizenship: Cultivating Youth Resiliency in a Virtual World. University of New Mexico 14th Annual Mentoring Conference: High-Quality Connections: Developmental Networks – Science and Practice (panel discussion), Virtual – based out of Albuquerque, NM.
- Stark, C., Wehrman, J., Severn, K., Cammell, M., & Solis, A. (2020, October 20). Campus Connections Youth Mentoring Program: Cultivating Connection during the COVID-19 Crisis. University of New Mexico 13th Annual Mentoring Conference (panel discussion), Virtual – based out of Albuquerque, NM.
- Stutey, D. M., Helm, H., Wehrman, J., Murdock-Bishop, J., Notestine, L., Severn, K., Cormier, S., & Krafchick, J. (2019, October). Campus Connections: A therapeutic mentoring program promoting community engaged pedagogy and counselor development. Presented at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Seattle, WA.
Creative Works
- Stark, C., Stutey, D., Severn, K., Estrada, S., Rockwell, B., & Rice, A. (2022). Campus Connections Youth Mentoring Program: “Finding your Ethical Compass”, Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative (DFEI) Curriculum Mentee Workbook. Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative.
- Stark, C., Stutey, D., Severn, K., Estrada, S., Rockwell, B., & Rice, A. (2022). Campus Connections Youth Mentoring Program: “Finding your Ethical Compass”, Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative (DFEI) Curriculum Mentor & Graduate Assistant Workbook. Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative.
- Souligny, C., Slayback, L., Segovia, R., Severn, K., Cammell, M., Stark, C., Stutey, D., & Wehrman, J. (2021). Digital Citizenship Manual: Cultivating Youth Resiliency in a Virtual World – Mentor Activity Guide. UCCS Cybersecurity Initiative.
Grants
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative – FUNDED (2021-2022). Stark, C., Stutey, D., Wehrman, J., Severn, K., & Cammell, M. (Principal Investigators). Campus Connections Youth Mentoring Program: “Finding your ethical compass” Curriculum, $17,634.
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Cybersecurity Seed Grant – FUNDED (2021). Stark, C., & Severn, K. (Principal Investigators). Funds for presenting Campus Connections: Cultivating Social and Emotional Wellness in At-Promise Youth through Digital Citizenship at the University of New Mexico Mentorship conference in Albuquerque, NM (virtual), $450.
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Cybersecurity Initiative Funding – FUNDED (2020-2021). Wehrman, J., Stark, C., & Stutey, D. (Principal Investigators). Campus Connections: Cultivating Social and Emotional Wellness in At-Promise Youth through Digital Citizenship – Expansion Project, $16,805.75.
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Cybersecurity Seed Grant – FUNDED (2020). Stark, C., Stutey, D. & Wehrman, J. (Principal Investigators). Campus Connections: Cultivating Social and Emotional Wellness in At-Promise Youth through Digital Citizenship, $7,250.
- Colorado Health Foundation – FUNDED (2020). Stutey, D., Wehrman, J., Stark, C., Severn, K., Notestine, L., Bakari, R., Cammell, M., Enkler, K., Solis, A. (Co-Investigators) UCCS Department of Counseling and Human Services Campus Connections Therapeutic Youth Mentoring Program, $77,610.
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Grant - FUNDED (2019). Stark, C. & Stutey, D. (Principal Investigators), Wehrman, J., Notestine, L., Severn, K., Bakari, R., Cammell, M., Enkler, K., Solis, A. (Co-Investigators) $3,000.
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs Faculty Minority Affairs Committee (FMAC) Diversity Grant – FUNDED (2019). Stark, C. (Principal Investigator) $300.