Riverways Guides
About Riverways Guides
Riverways Guides is an academic-year mentorship program led by a Graduate Staff Assistant and a cohort of UW undergraduate Guides. Together, the team works with Indigenous students in grades 5-12 to explore multiple pathways after high school, including community college, four-year colleges & universities, and career pathways.
Through recurring school site visits and UW campus visits, Guides build authentic relationships with students, educators, and community partners. They share their own educational journeys, help students identify their strengths and aspirations, and develop programming that affirms students’ cultural identities and connections to their home communities.
The current Riverways Guides model builds on Riverways’ longstanding mentorship partnership with Neah Bay Schools and its broader college-access work with Tribal communities across Washington.
How the Program Works
Team Development
Throughout the academic year, Guides meet with the Graduate Staff Assistant and Riverways staff to learn about partner communities, develop workshops, prepare materials, and reflect on their mentoring experiences. Staff development supports Guides in strengthening their facilitation skills, Indigenous-centered mentoring practices, and culturally relevant approaches to college and career programming.
Site Visits
Guides travel to Tribal schools and community organizations to build mentor-mentee relationships with students and facilitate programming developed with partner educators and community members. At some partner schools, activities build across the academic year toward student projects and presentations.
Campus Visits
Guides welcome students to the UW Seattle and Bothell campuses for college and career exploration, hands-on learning, and opportunities to experience campus life. Campus visits are designed to help students feel more familiar with higher education while recognizing that college can take many forms and that meaningful higher education and career pathways can remain connected to their home communities.
What Programming Can Include
Riverways Guides programming is developed with partner educators and communities and adapted for different grade-levels and local priorities. Activities may include:
- Community college, transfer, and four-year university pathways.
- Career exploration, including careers that contribute to community priorities and wellbeing.
- Admissions, financial aid, scholarships, résumés, and campus resources.
- Leadership, communication, public speaking, and goal setting.
- Cultural identity, belonging, and navigating education as an Indigenous student.
- Creative projects such as PhotoVoice, life-journey maps, career posters, beading, drum making, and other culturally grounded activities.
- Opportunities to meet Indigenous professionals and explore careers that contribute to community wellbeing.
Who Should Apply?
Riverways Guides may be a good fit for UW undergraduate students interested in mentorship, college and career access, Indigenous education, and sustained community engagement.
Strong applicants should demonstrate:
- Interest in building relationships with Native students and Tribal school communities.
- Experience mentoring, teaching, facilitating, or working with young people.
- Willingness to learn from community partners and work collaboratively.
- Strong communication, organization, and group-facilitation skills.
- Ability to commit throughout the academic year and participate in required travel.
- Experience navigating community college, transfer, four-year university, workforce, or other educational pathways.
Students from all backgrounds are welcome to apply. Indigenous students and students from rural communities are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Get Involved
Riverways Guides are selected through an application process before the academic year begins. Join the Riverways Student Opportunities mailing list to receive recruitment announcements, application information, and upcoming deadlines.
JOIN THE RIVERWAYS MAILING LIST
Questions?
Have questions about the Riverways Guides role, time commitment, or application process? Contact the Riverways team for more information.
The Riverways Guides program is made possible through the generous support of the Discuren Foundation.
At A Glance
- Time Commitment: Academic year; autumn through spring. 3-8 hrs/week.
- Compensation: Paid hourly at Seattle’s minimum wage.
- Application: Required.
- Preparation: Weekly team meetings, workshop development, training, and reflection.
- Location: Tribal partner communities across Washington and UW campuses.
Why get involved
“I remember when UW [Riverways] visited my classroom when I was in the fifth grade, it was the first time I had ever talked to college students. That’s what this program is doing: opening the students’ eyes, putting it in their heads that they have their whole lives to look forward to, and exposing them to this other world. Now I am a mentor with UW Riverways and this week, two of the kids in my group have already said they want to go to the UW.”
– Auston Jimmicum, fifth grade student participant (2006), UW Mentor (2018)