Mohammad Zaman is in our College Success Mentoring program and on his way to becoming a user experience designer.
November 5, 2022 Uncategorized
Mohammad Zaman received our Alumni Scholarship at our 2022 Awards Celebration. Mohammad Zaman is entering his senior year at Michigan State University (MSU), working towards a Bachelor of Science in computer science and his dream of becoming a user experience designer. He’s focused, motivated, and… Read More
Black Male Career Mentors: You are the Key to Inspiring the Next Generation
August 8, 2022 Mentor, Students
I had the privilege of meeting with one of our most dynamic career mentor-student pairings, Aubin Williams and Aidan Watkins. Williams is the president and CEO of Ekklesia Building Corporation, a general contracting, program management, and construction company. Watkins is a 19-year-old full-time student at Wayne County Community College studying… Read More
Paying It Forward as a Career Mentor
July 11, 2022 Alumni Success Stories, Mentor, Students
Pay it forward is an expression for when the recipient of kindness does something kind in turn for someone else rather than simply accepting or repaying the original good deed. Tamara Taylor, complexity lead at Stellantis, has been the recipient of many acts of kindness and encouragement throughout her… Read More
Pete Hockey, Global Director of Supply Chain Operations at Ford Motor Company, Joins our Board
July 11, 2022 Announcements
Pete Hockey, Ford Motor Company’s global director of Supply Chain Operations has joined our Board of Directors. “I’m honored to be a part of the Winning Futures team. The vision of using top-notch mentoring programs to positively impact our youth is something that resonates with me. I’m excited to join… Read More
Razzaaq McConner, Vice President of Purchasing & Supply Chain – Americas at Adient, Joins Board of Directors
July 11, 2022 Announcements
We are pleased to welcome Razzaaq McConner, vice president of Purchasing & Supply Chain – Americas, to our Board of Directors. “Winning Futures gives me the opportunity to mentor and develop young people who faced the same challenges as I did as a high school student in Pontiac,” said McConner.… Read More
$50,000 Awarded and 17 Mentors Honored, Our 2022 Awards Celebration in Review
July 11, 2022 Event, Mentor, Students
Our 28th Annual Awards Celebration was held on May 17, 2022, at The Gazebo Banquet Center in Warren. We awarded a grand total of $50,000 to 24 phenomenal students from our Workforce Prep program. We also honored 17 dedicated local business professionals who completed their fifth year as career mentors! … Read More
Career Mentors: How Monica Labe helped Lourin Younan achieve her dream.
June 14, 2022 Uncategorized
Lourin Younan (left) in 2016 with her Career Mentor, Monica Labe (center). Monica listened intently to an anxious high school student who described a “rudderless” feeling hanging over her like a cloud. The student was worried about not knowing what to do after graduation or how… Read More
The Journey of a Student Becoming a Mentor.
May 16, 2022 Mentor
When an individual decides to mentor someone it’s a gift. A gift of shared knowledge, experience and most precious of them all – their time. In the story of Tom Zara, his experience with our program is something he carries with him and it has inspired him to come full… Read More
Why Career Mentors Matter
April 4, 2022 Alumni Success Stories, Mentor
Our Workforce Prep Program is designed to support teenagers and for good reason. Adolescence is a time when youth search for a sense of identity, and the belief that they can accomplish their chosen dreams. That self-belief touches every aspect of a young person’s life and can determine whether they… Read More
Dreams are worth supporting.
March 30, 2022 Announcements
In 2021, we launched our pilot College Success Mentoring program (CSM) for students who completed our high school program and are now enrolled in community colleges, universities, trade schools, or apprenticeships. In the CSM program, students are paired with a college success mentor for monthly one-hour video calls and discussion… Read More
Another Very Special Night, Corks & Forks 2025
On March 8, 2025, the ballroom at The Townsend Hotel shimmered with elegance as we hosted our 17th annual Corks & Forks gala. This year’s event, chaired by Teresa Thiele, Senior Vice President of Global Purchasing Programs at Stellantis, brought together community leaders, business professionals, and passionate supporters to celebrate ... Read More »
From Medicine to Tech: Shanaz Munni’s Winning Futures Journey
When Shanaz Munni joined our Workforce Prep Mentoring Program at Warren Mott High School in 2018, she thought she had it all figured out—she was going to be a doctor, but she really didn’t know how to make that dream a reality. Now, at 22, she’s preparing to graduate from ... Read More »
Student Spotlight: Durell Thomas Jr. Makes it to the Big Leagues
When I last wrote about Durell Thomas Jr. he was going into 12th grade (Year 3 of our Workforce Prep program) at Harper Woods High School. He was dreaming about becoming a professional sports photographer and learning how to put together academic and career plans. Read 2021 blog about Durell. ... Read More »
Scott Rice transitions to Chair Emeritus of BOD, Matt Joshua elected Chair
A personal note from Kristina Marshall, President and CEO, Winning Futures: Fifteen years ago, Scott Rice, president and COO of Powerlink Healthcare Support Services, joined our Board of Directors after attending our golf outing and visiting a Workforce Prep mentoring session. Words cannot describe how grateful I am that he ... Read More »
Forvia Group Vice President of Supplier Diversity, Lawrence Williams II, Joins Our Board of Directors
We are very pleased to announce that Lawrence Williams II has been elected to our Board of Directors. Williams is a transformational leader with over 28 years of success in the automotive and commercial vehicle industries driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence. In his role at Forvia, Williams leads strategic ... Read More »
Winning Futures offers CMA students, mentors, opportunity to grow
Note: Below is an article written by Korey Colton for his high school paper, The Communicator. Korey attends Communication & Media Arts High School in Detroit and is in our Year 2 (11th grade) Workforce Prep program. With permission, we have re-published it here. Learn more about our seven-year Workforce ... Read More »
Our 2024 Golf Social at Topgolf was a “hole-in-one” kind of success!
We held our first ever Golf Social on September 25, 2024, at Topgolf in Auburn Hills. Replacing our traditional golf outing of years past, the Golf Social at Topgolf provided much more opportunities for guests of all golf skill levels to participate, have fun, and network with senior business executives. ... Read More »
Marcus Sumrall is in our Year 2 (11th grade) program and wants to be a real estate agent and home renovator.
Marcus Sumrall is looking down the road, preparing for what’s next, and getting his work done well and on time. Marcus participated in our Year 1 (10th grade, life skills development) Workforce Prep program last year at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. He was mentored by Joshua Friday, battery ... Read More »
The Career Mentor Experience
“It has been so fulfilling to me to be able to share my experiences and see that it matters and that students are taking the information I’ve shared with them and doing something positive with it. It has been a blessing and a wonderful experience.” This past year we had ... Read More »
Nazifa Kadir is in our Year 6 (continuing education) program and attending the University of Michigan, studying for a degree in pharmaceutical science.
If you knew Nazifa Kadir back when she was in high school, you might be surprised to see the person she is today. Nazifa is a junior at the University of Michigan studying for a degree in pharmaceutical science. She is more assertive, outgoing, and confident in who she is ... Read More »
Rei Struga is in our Year 4 (continuing education) program and on his way to Wayne State University where he will study computer science.
“High school is a confusing and stressful time. You need all the help you can get.” These are the words of Rei Struga. He just graduated from Warren Mott High School and is on his way to Wayne State University where he will study computer science. He has a vision, ... Read More »
30th Anniversary Awards Celebration: $30,000 in scholarships awarded to 16 students; Seven students celebrated for graduating from college; 16 volunteers honored for their five or ten-year career mentoring anniversary.
Our 30th Anniversary Awards Celebration was absolutely loaded with good news. Held at Club Venetian in Madison Heights on June 10, more than 200 people gathered to bear witness to the amazing accomplishments our students have achieved and the generous support we receive from our volunteer career mentors and annual ... Read More »