Mentorship that makes an impact

Every Monday night at the University of Redlands, something truly special unfolds—college students and local youth come together, not just as mentors and mentees, but as friends, role models, and sources of inspiration. For more than 30 years, the Big Buddies program has been more than just an after-school activity; it has served as a vital support system for young students, a leadership training ground for university mentors, and a powerful example of the impact of connection and community.

Through laughter-filled learning sessions, heartfelt conversations, and unwavering support, Big Buddies is changing lives on both sides of the mentorship equation. At the heart of it all are four purpose-driven student directors — Hannah Alspach ’26, Marissa Martinez ’25, Breanna Naylor ’25, and Jason Salmeron ’26 — propelling this transformative program forward, ensuring every child and mentor finds a place to belong, grow, and thrive.

“We try to mix up our weekly activities because our mentees have just come from school and we want to connect with them on another level,” said Martinez, a double major in business management and Spanish, who is serving her third year as a director. “We want them to have fun, have buddies to play with, and just be themselves.”

Like her peers, Martinez joined Big Buddies in her first year at Redlands as a way of finding a community of students who wanted to become mentors.

“I fell in love with [the program] right away,” Martinez said. “I did it my first year and then got the opportunity to become a director. It feels nice to see all the work that we put into the program pay off and see all the kids show us so much love.”

Over the years, Big Buddies has become a space where kids can talk about the challenges they are facing, in a supportive and understanding environment.

“We've had a handful of instances where mentees open up with their mentors or directly to us about any issues going on at home, bullying at school, or conflicts,” said Alspach, a health, medicine, and society major who is in her second year as a director. “It’s nice to know that our kids in the program are comfortable sharing that with us and that we've become an extra resource to them.”

For some families, involvement with the transformational program has spanned several years, with mentees starting in Bid Buddies and moving onto the College and High School Mentoring Program and Alliance (CHAMPS) which in addition to continuing the mentorship and service aspect of Big Buddies, also encourages interest in higher education. For the student mentors and directors, the prolonged experience is equally impactful.

“When I was a mentor, my goal was to get to know my mentee and help them in any way that I could,” Salmeron, a double major in business and finance and second-year director said. “I thought if I want to help my mentee, I have to be a better, improved version of myself every day.”

In addition to promoting self-improvement, Big Buddies also fosters teamwork among its directors, who juggle event planning, fundraising, and daily operations. As Naylor, a double major in political science and public policy and third-year director explained, “This experience has taught me to be a better leader and has allowed me to grow and be able to communicate better with my peers.” In addition to the business end, Naylor said how mentors and directors get to “be a kid for three hours, one day a week, and impact a child’s life.”

Through a simple philosophy of “fun community service,” Big Buddies has become a place where U of R students can connect with local youth, build leadership skills, and make a lasting impact within a community where they belong.

Learn more about Big Buddies.