UWO medical mentorship program brings inclusivity, opportunity to Wildcat Nation
On behalf of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, West is hosting a medical mentorship program for all students interested in hands-on experience, interaction with peers, and future preparation for a career in the field. This program meets during W-Hour every Thursday in S13 and offers a variety of insightful activities for any student who wishes to learn more about healthcare. Dr. Carlos Salazar, UWO faculty member and executive director of community group Casa Hispana, said the main objective of the program is to promote inclusivity and education for all.
“The purpose is to bring in students close to a career-minded mentorship that they want and give them knowledge, college tools, and an open door to succeed in that focused career objective,” he said.
photo courtesy of Carlos Salazar
According to Dr. Maria Graf of the UWO School of Nursing and Health Professions, the mentorship program intends to lift up students who might not know where to take the first step towards their goals.
“Our aim is to help minority students and first-generation students in the healthcare field,” she said. “But any student who has an interest in pursuing a career in health science who doesn’t have guidance and support on how to navigate academia, that is the type of student we are looking to recruit for this program.”
Salazar believes that the support of these minority groups is of key importance, making it an integral part of the program.
“Our purpose is to support underrepresented first-generation high school students to do well in secondary education by building positive mentoring bridges that give students tools, opportunity, and access to reach higher education,” he said. “They represent an important asset for the entire community and investment in their future is key to growth and success.”
The program was originally started as a club at UWO and grew from there. Graf said that community outreach helped the program’s goals take flight and get to those who might not have otherwise known about it.
“Instead of waiting for students to come to the university, we went out to the community for outreach,” she said. “We tried planting that seed of ‘Have you thought about going to college?’ and giving them information so that the idea of college wasn’t so intimidating.”
Geraldyne Frias Cuevas, a UWO student involved in the club, appreciates the opportunities offered to students at West.
“The mentorship program originated at UW-Oshkosh and reaches out to schools with opportunities like hosting speakers, college prep, and hands-on activities,” she said. “We’ll also be doing a college preview soon.”
She listed some of the activities that had been previously hosted during Thursday W-Hours, with the aim of linking community connections with education.
“On October 23, we learned CPR skills. Later on October 30, we learned how to use bandages, and there was a race to see who could bandage a patient the fastest while using the correct techniques and getting patient consent, which is something that sometimes isn’t too familiar to students,” she said. “We also thought the bandages would kind of fit in with Halloween, and the other school (Appleton West) had a lot of fun with it.”
Junior Uzma Mirza expressed interest in the guest speaking event that had happened a couple of weeks prior.
“On October 16, a nurse named Fatima came in and presented about the nursing department where she works and shared some paths she took to becoming a nurse,” she said. “It was just a fun presentation of her life as a nurse.”
Graf mentioned that the presentations at West are slightly different than those at the university due to the age and experience of the crowd.
“Since this is high school, the content of our presentations has to be age appropriate,” she said. “The last thing that I want is to say or show something that instead of encouraging the healthcare field draws students away because it’s ‘gross’ or ‘gory’.”
However, Graf noted that this does not draw away from the range of topics introduced to students who choose to attend mentorship meetings.
“We want to show many aspects of healthcare like nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, nutrition, and the fact that we work with both very sick and healthy individuals to get them or keep them healthy,” she said. “Showing treatment is important, as well as prevention and prep.”
According to Salazar, one of the unique aspects of the program is the closeness to direct experience that it offers, especially within a college-prep setting.
“This mentorship allows students to hear from people in the industry, and actual medical mentors and professionals guide you through this mentorship path,” he said.
Its direct involvement with professionals and the post-secondary connections initially drew Mirza to become involved with the mentorship program.
“No one in my family has gone to college. I decided to join because it’s a UWO mentorship, which seemed like a good opportunity to be exposed to people in a more professional environment,” she said. “We’re going to learn something new most days, so it’s like a mini class in the long run. I am looking forward to what they will have in store for us.”
The mentorship program, though founded for higher-level education, has taken root at West. Graf made it clear that the club plans to stay as a resource for students, encouraging more participation.
“Not every place has the time or resources for a program like this, so we were very fortunate that West was open and receptive to this project,” she said. “If you know any student who is thinking about pursuing a medical career after high school, let them know that we will be coming to give information about college.”
The program aims to take a stand to foster unity, meeting students where they are to create community, support, and success.
“It seems so foreign and distant for some students and it’s a great feeling of accomplishment to be able to go to college when it feels impossible. If that’s what you want to do, don’t feel discouraged because you are the first one in your family to go to college or you’re worried that you’ll be the only one of your culture,” Graf said. “Everyone is welcome. We are a lot of people from different walks of life, and we will help you succeed.”
by Phoebe Fletcher
Published November 3, 2025
Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue II