Meet Kathy
Kathy Kang
Current Junior Mentoring Lead and incoming co-Chief Community Officer
Meet our rockstar volunteer, Kathy Kang! Kathy has been a part of the Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) community for 4 years, serving first as a mentor and now as a Junior Mentoring Lead. As a mentor, Kathy supported her mentee on her journey to college, helping her discover colleges and majors that she hadn’t known about. Now, as a volunteer leader, she helps a larger group of students and volunteers do the same, by helping to coordinate weekly session activities, facilitating discussions, and supporting the work of each mentor-mentee grouping. Kathy has been an incredible role model for both our mentees and volunteers, rolling up her sleeves to pitch-in wherever is needed.
Beginning with the 2024–2025 school year, Kathy will become our Co-Chief Community Officer. MMBay is so excited for Kathy to continue impacting the lives of high school students in the Bay Area!
How long you been involved with MMBay, and in what roles?
This is my 4th year with MMBay. I was a mentor for the first 2 years, then a Pod Leader. I left for 2 years for grad school. Last year, I moved back to the city and rejoined as Mentoring Lead for the Junior Class. Over the years, I've also been involved with the mentee alumni team, which supports MMBay alumni after they finish high school. In addition, I've been involved with recruiting the newest batch of mentees and mentors.
What is your favorite Minds Matter Bay Area memory?
The first time I saw my mentee, Belinda, return from her freshman year in college. With my co-mentor Joy, our trio met up to get Korean barbecue and then dessert in Inner Richmond. I remember feeling in awe of how mature Belinda carried herself. As a mentor, I saw Belinda every week and didn't notice any chances. After finishing her first semester in college, I beamed with pride as I listened to her talk about the transition from high school student to college freshman. Personally, I had a tough time freshman year because I didn't know how to study effectively or how to ask for help but Belinda navigated this change with so much poise. Although she found her classes challenging, Belinda took advantage of the support services her college provided from tutoring sessions to talking to her counselors. I was just really proud of having had a minor part in her high school experience, setting her up for college success.
How did you hear about MMBay?
I was inspired by a friend of mine! I caught up with a dear friend of mine who was an active volunteer in the New York chapter of Minds Matter. She spoke so enthusiastically about her experience working with students and other early career professionals. When I moved to San Francisco, I learned that Minds Matter had a chapter in the Bay Area and promptly applied.
What inspired you to become a volunteer?
I joined MMBay because I wanted to pay forward what I learned and help other students avoid the mistakes I made. I applied to colleges having never visited any college campus(!). As a child of immigrant parents, I felt underprepared for the complexity of the college application process. I didn't know how to put together a compelling personal statement nor the importance of standardized testing or strong recommendation letters. Yet, choosing where to go to college is one the most important decisions I could make! Minds Matter Bay Area is the chance for me to help motivated students get into the best colleges with great scholarships.