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Barriers of travel and distance between college students and industry-leading mentors around the country are being erased through a new program launched today by a Birmingham-based education and innovation nonprofit. The 250 Forward Project is the latest initiative of the 2150 Center for Innovation, Commercialization & Growth. The collaboration connects Miles College and University of Massachusetts Boston to link students and leaders with mentors across business, technology and public service sectors. What makes 250 Forward unique is its use of flash mentoring using MentorPRO, a digital AI-assisted platform app, officials said. The approach allows students to engage in focused, short interactions that fit their schedules and strengths. The system combines real-time guidance with structured and monitored learning experiences that prepare students to become entrepreneurs and innovators all through the AI-integrated app, explained Erskine “Chuck” Faush, CEO at the 2150 Project. “By helping students build networks, start businesses, and think like innovators, we’re planting the seeds of an economy that they will own and grow,” Faush said. “Over the next decade, we expect this initiative to help students generate more than $250 million in economic impact through new ventures, startups, and community enterprises.” The MentorPRO digital platform was developed by researchers at UMass Boston under the leadership of Jean Rhodes, director of the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring and a leading national scholar on mentorship. “250 Forward brings this vision to life, using technology to expand access to guidance while keeping human connection at the heart of student success,” Rhodes said. “By connecting HBCU scholars with accomplished mentors, we’re ensuring that the next generation doesn’t just benefit from opportunity, they build it.” Through MentorPRO, mentors will engage at their own pace by answering questions, offering practical advice, and opening doors to opportunities. Students will gain direct access to individuals whom they would not otherwise engage in a traditional setting. The 2150 Center was launched by Miles College last year as a business and innovation collaborative designed to expand to institutions around the country. Several partnerships have launched since then. The latest initiative is being launched this week to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965. This landmark law expanded access to higher education for millions of Americans. The act of 1965 increased federal funding for higher education, providing grants, loans, and work-study programs to students. It was designed to offer higher education opportunities to more people, particularly low- and middle-income students. The latest collaboration continues the mission of that pioneering legislation, said Tonya Perry, provost at Miles College. “Through entrepreneurship and mentorship, we are equipping students not only to succeed in their careers but to shape the economy of the future,” Perry said.
