CHAMPION OF COURAGE| Baltimore native creates mentoring program to help college students

BALTIMORE (WBFF) A first generation college student from Baltimore is helping high schoolers get to college and making sure that they thrive once they do.

I'Shea Boyd, who is a senior at the University of Maryland College Park, attended Baltimore Polytechnical Institute.

Boyd was Class President four years in a row and she excelled in her STEM classes.

Once she got to college, I'Shea says that she was going through home sickness, but she realized that her freshman year at U.M.D. was similar to other first year college students.

She leaned on her teachers from Poly for guidance to applying to internships to polishing her resume. That's when she says it hit her that there have to be other people who need help.

Its why in her first few years of college, the computer engineering major founded BitView, a mentoring program for Poly students who seek support from current college students.

The plan wasn't without push back however. Boyd says, "When I tried to do that, it was like no, we try to use upperclassmen because they have more experience."

But I'Shea says she knew high schoolers could really benefit from underclassmen, such as herself.

Boyd says, "I would've definitely enjoyed having a college level mentor. Something about not being far removed from the process and ever changing. Older people are willing to help and I'm like that's not even a website anymore."

Morgan State University student Jade Jones says, "Even now I am still in contact with I'Shea." Jones is one of the first Bitview mentees. Jones says, "A lot of mentor programs are a lot older and being around someone who is also your peer shows that you can do it as well."

As for what I'Shea will do after graduation, she says is uncertain. She says that she does want to continue to help others.