Jonathan Muteba Steps Up for Local Youth in a BIG Way

As fewer Greater Boston high school graduates enroll in college, Massachusetts employers are struggling to fill open positions. Despite having a plethora of potential new hires locally, companies are turning to out-of-state remote workers to meet their talent and skillset needs. Without industry pipelines in place, qualified young people aren’t accessing these opportunities. For this reason, 31-year-old Medford resident Jonathan Muteba, Founder, Owner, and Senior cGxP Consultant for Brilla Life Science, LLC, is volunteering as a mentor for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) Big Futures Mentoring Program.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters program launched as a four-year pilot in Revere High School at the top of this school year. It’s designed to match freshman with professionals who will build mentoring relationships and leverage experiential learning to prepare them for post-secondary success in whatever pathway they choose – entrepreneurship, college, trade school or the military – over the course of their high school experience.

Muteba was paired with his mentee, Jay, 14, in October. The duo instantly clicked over their shared love of math, sports, and theatre. Now, he is working to help Jay achieve his first goal: to make the high school basketball team next season. While practicing drills together on the court, Muteba can’t help but see himself in Jay as they discuss what it’s like to be a young person of color with interests that defy racial stereotypes.

“When I was a student at Revere High School, I wish I had someone to talk to about my goals and help me to achieve them outside of my home and school guidance counselor who encouraged me to go to college and study chemical engineering,” says Muteba, Class or 2010. “I didn’t have someone else in my life who looked like me – a person of color – with the same interests as me – both STEM and basketball. I felt different than my peers, a feeling that continued through college and as I entered the Life Sciences field as an adult.”

The Big Futures Mentoring Program’s hybrid approach lends flexibility for busy professionals to participate. Each grade level concentrates on different skill sets. Freshman and sophomores focus on relationship building and experiential learning through weekly online communication and monthly in-person meetings with additional game nights, panel discussions and other fun events. Juniors hone on college and career readiness and post-secondary pathways, participating in workshops, competitions, and job shadowing experiences with select corporate partners coupled with structured reflection activities on different pathways. In their final year, seniors meet in cohorts based on their pathway of choice, to review key milestones to succeed in each path, such as resume writing and FAFSA completion, and participate in group college tours and internships opportunities.

“The Big Futures Mentoring program offers high schools the power of mentorship, packaged for teens and designed to complement class time, not compete with it, to help youth reach their fullest potential,” says Terrence McCarron, BBBSEM’s Chief Program Officer. “Having this type of training and networking experience can be the difference for students, especially from under resourced communities, to create economic mobility. The program also gives employers a chance to invest in the next generation of Massachusetts’ workforce.”

Not only is the program designed to give students the support they need to pursue jobs they love and earn a livable wage, but the structure works toward diversifying trades industries, creating greater access to jobs for BIPOC communities and women. Each mentor will offer accountability for their mentee, so they thrive in high school, graduate, and confidently make post-secondary plans.

“Unfortunately, there is an underrepresentation of the BIPOC community in Life Sciences roles,” says Muteba. “through the Big Futures Mentoring Program, I would like to use my platform to help bring more awareness and ultimately increase the percentages of BIPOC professionals in STEM related jobs. Helping to mentor the next generation and open doors for them to learn more about the Life Sciences industry, is a great first step.”

Big Futures Mentoring is BBBSEM’s high school mentoring program. The nonprofit also offers elementary school-based and college campus-based programs as well as its signature community-based program. In its 75th year, the nonprofit is serving nearly 4,000 boys and girls in over 150 communities from the Merrimack Valley to Cape Cod and the Islands.

This National Volunteer Month, consider becoming a youth mentor. BBBSEM is now enrolling and matching Littles and Bigs. For more information, to become a volunteer or to register your children, visit: www.emassbigs.org.