Take on College is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit connecting high school mentees to undergrad mentors to remove the barriers to higher education.
Quick Links
Get In Touch
© All Rights Reserved.
Take on College is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit connecting high school mentees to undergrad mentors to remove the barriers to higher education.
© All Rights Reserved.
Hi, I’m Hong Ta (she/her), an education advocate and the founding Executive Director of Take on College. I graduated from the University of Puget Sound and also work with the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition.
Hello! My name is Jazmine Bailey and I graduated from the University of Michigan in the class of 2023 with B.S.E. in Industrial and Operations Engineering. I am currently working as a Credit Analyst at Synchrony based in New York City.
Hi everyone! My name is Smriti and I just graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, I work as a Marketing Analyst at Reynolds American Inc. I have been part of Take on College for over four years and super excited to continue doing good work and helping first generation students get into college. Hook Em’
I am a first-generation college student who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2023 with a B.S.E. in Industrial and Operations Engineering. I currently work in Grand Rapids, MI as an operations manager in the packaging industry. I’ve been the administrative director at Take on College since 2021 (just before the pandemic). Ask me how many languages I speak for a long winded answer!
I am a first-generation undergraduate Nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania. My family immigrated from Vietnam to Georgia when I was 5 years old, and I grew up attending schools within a federally funded public education system. I believe that everyone has an opportunity to share their “why” college story, and my job is to fan that spark of passion and commitment for higher education
Hello! My name is Sandy, and I am a student at Cornell University’s ILR School. As a first-generation student, I took part in the ToC Summer Fellowship Program and the Fall Mentorship Program, which proved to be tremendously helpful and supportive in my transition post high school. In my free time, I love exploring cafes with friends, collecting stationery, and playing mahjong.
Hello! My name is Lena and I’m currently a student at the University of Washington studying psychology and am on the pre-med track. I’m a first-gen Vietnamese student. Outside of school, I love to crochet, knit, and hang out with my dogs or friends!
Hi! My name is Amal and I attend the University of Southern California majoring in neuroscience on the pre med track. I am a recipient of the trustee scholarship which is a full merit tuition scholarship. I’m excited to become a mentor because take on college helped alleviate a lot of the stress that came with the college application process. Happy to be of help :)
N/A
Hello! My name is Anish Bhamidipati, and I am a sophomore at Saint Louis University studying biology! I love to play basketball, football, and hike in my spare time in the Great Northwest! I am excited to aide you guys in you own individual journeys for applying to your dream colleges!
Hi, my name is Amy! I’m a molecular biology and psychology student at the University of Washington. I’m interested in pursuing a career in medicine, and I like to spend my time, outside of school, swimming and playing badminton with my family!
Hi! My name is Velerie and I am an undergrad student at the University of Washington. I am on the pre-nursing track with a minor in nutrition. Aside from academics, I enjoy jewelry making, sewing, making or trying out new foods, playing volleyball, and. hanging out with my loved ones. Coming from a military family, I’ve moved from place to place and met so many interesting people. As a ToC mentor, I am looking forward to meeting and learning about you to help you work toward getting into a school you’ll love!
Hi! My name is Shafaq, and I’m a student at the University of Washington, majoring in biology (physiology) and minoring in music. In my free time, I love dancing, traveling, and cross stitching. During my college application process, I was a mentee at Take on College, and having someone review my essays was incredibly helpful. I’m thrilled to now have the opportunity to help others navigate their college applications!
Hi there! I’m Cynthia Arenas, a current senior from Portland, Oregon! I’m an aspiring Software Engineer and will be pursuing a Computer Science degree at Harvey Mudd College this upcoming fall. When not coding games or websites, you can find me on the tennis court or at a boba shop. I’m beyond excited to be a mentor for Take on College this year and can’t wait to get started helping you all with your college applications!
Having been a mentee myself, I couldn’t say no to the opportunity to become a mentor—and I’m so glad I didn’t. My experience with Dalisa was truly memorable. It gave me the chance to share the kind of advice I wish I’d had when I was in her position. Over the course of two and a half months, the connection Dalisa and I developed grew remarkably strong. What started as polite conversations blossomed into meaningful exchanges, where we’d talk about our days over Zoom. This journey has been incredibly rewarding, and my greatest hope is that I’ve made a positive impact on Dalisa’s life.
N/A
Hi, my name is Sagar, and I’m currently pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. I have a passion for creativity and problem-solving, whether it’s through writing code, folding origami, sketching in my free time, or immersing myself into games. Lately, I’ve been especially hooked on Minecraft, so let me know if you wanna play!!
Hi! My name is Katelyn Alemán, and I am interested in studying finance in college. I live in Los Angeles, CA. My hobbies include painting and relaxing at the beach!
Hi, my name is Dave! I’m a biology and psychology student at the University of Washington. I’m interested in pursuing a career in either medicine or research. Outside of academics, I like to spend my time playing badminton, swimming, chess, and going hiking!