The Monarch Effect Foundation, which was granted its Mexican tax-deductible status in November 2023, mentors and supports high-potential students of middle-class Mexican families to achieve their dreams of a high-quality university education in Mexico and abroad. The Foundation's vision is that the only way that entrepreneurs and companies in Baja will prosper and grow is if they have well-educated, motivated professionals to take their businesses to the next level. This requires the education of the middle class.
Today, more and more of the resorts, developments, businesses, and even restaurant chains are advertising for trained staff at universities in mainland Mexico, the United States and Canada - because they are not available in Baja. The lack of readily available educated and skilled middle management, professional, and technical staff dramatically impacts the success of entrepreneurs and businesses in the area. Choosing employees who can speak English to serve tourists and expats alike is not enough if they do not have the knowledge and skills to do their jobs well and take their companies to the next level.
Unfortunately, unlike in the United States and Canada, there are no readily available sources of money to cover the tuition and living expenses associated with attending a high-quality university. Banks do not offer student loans with long-term repayment after graduation. Consequently, many Mexican middle-class families cannot afford to support their children (or more than one child) to attend university.
For the Monarch Effect Foundation to succeed, it is about much more than just scholarships. The program starts early, selecting high-potential students from middle-class families and mentoring them through choosing a career and education path, preparing them to face the challenges of being away from home and family at university, and to learn the skills necessary to succeed both at school and at work after graduation.
To achieve these goals, the commitment and participation of the local Mexican community is essential. Parents, local families and local businesses play a vital role in acting as mentors, being part of a speaker's series about career specialties, industries, and what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur, connecting friends and businesses to provide internships and other learning opportunities when the students return between semesters. The current students in the program are also acting as peer-to-peer mentors to future students.
On November 26th, Monarch Effect Foundation held an event on the second floor of Jardin Secreto in the Art District in San Jose del Cabo to define to its donors, sponsors, parents and supporters how the Foundation measures success, and to describe the activities of the past year. There are currently five students attending university in five countries - Portugal, France, the UK, the United States, and Mexico. Two are in master’s programs and three have completed a least one full year abroad with the Foundation’s support. Three students in the program graduated this year - one from university and two from high school. Student support ranges between $12,000 and $30,000 per year to cover tuition, living and related expenses. All have some type of scholarship from their chosen universities.
There are now a total of 21 students who are involved with the Monarch Effect Foundation, either in university currently or as part of the mentoring program preparing them to achieve their educational dreams. This fall, the Monarch Effect Foundation launched a College Prep Mentoring program that runs for two semesters, held three Wednesdays a month at Picacho McGregor School in San Jose de Cabo. Students from five of the local high schools are participating and pay a small fee to guarantee their commitment to the program. A total of 15 volunteers (many teachers) run the sessions that are part of this program. The program is designed to address self-discovery, goal setting, financial literacy, exam preparation, homesickness, leadership, and career paths. The selection process with the students and their parents was extensive. An additional seven students are involved in the Peer-to-Peer mentoring program each Sunday, run and attended by students in university or about to start.
While there are many foundations to support poor and needy children, middle-class students do not qualify. Monarch Effect Foundation works with parents, universities, and the community to fill the gap. All the students have (or will have) scholarships and parental financial support, but still need help with living expenses, internships between terms, and at times, partial tuition. The parents and the students also commit to paying back part of the support after graduation and volunteering to support the community. Monarch Effect Foundation is in the final stages of being granted 501c (3) charitable status by the IRS in the United States, which allows them to approach other foundations and grant a full tax deduction.
For more information about the Foundation and all its current students, visit their website at https://monarcheffect.org/ or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550657456806 ,
