Blackburn Mentoring works with clients in Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit by video. Our team is in Los Angeles, and clients in Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Grosse Pointe, Northville and Detroit itself meet one dedicated mentor online every week, scheduled in Eastern time. We work with high school students and their parents, college students, and young professionals in a region that is changing quickly.
Two places, one region
Ann Arbor is a college town with a large student population and a strong research and health care economy. Metro Detroit, about 40 minutes east, is built around the auto industry and its suppliers, with a revitalized downtown and suburbs in Oakland County and the Grosse Pointes. Many families have one foot in each: a parent working in the Detroit area and a student studying in Ann Arbor, or the other way around.
Families in the Oakland County suburbs
Suburbs like Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills are known for strong public schools and several established independent schools. Students often carry heavy schedules of advanced classes, sports and activities. Parents reach out when:
- A student is capable but has stopped caring about school.
- Late nights and phone use are eating into sleep and grades.
- A junior or senior has no plan and resists every conversation about one.
- A graduate is back home and not moving forward.
The parent joins the intro call, helps agree goals and gets regular progress updates. See teen procrastination for a common starting point.
College students in Ann Arbor
A big campus can be hard to navigate, especially for a first-year student from out of state. Mentors help with the practical side: building a weekly schedule, keeping up with large lecture courses, finding a routine that survives a Michigan winter, and deciding on majors and internships. Mentors are not tutors, and they work alongside campus advisors and resources the student already uses.
Young professionals in a changing economy
Metro Detroit’s industries are going through significant change, and many young engineers, analysts and early-career professionals are thinking hard about their paths. A mentor helps sort through options, set concrete goals and keep moving: a skill to build, a role to pursue, a budget, a move downtown. Our page for professionals has more.
Between two very different places
Ann Arbor feels like a small, walkable college town; Metro Detroit is a large, car-centered region spread across several counties. Students who grow up in the suburbs and study in Ann Arbor, or who graduate from Ann Arbor and take a job in Detroit, often find the shift bigger than expected. A mentor helps with the practical side of those moves: a new routine, a new budget, a new commute and a new set of goals. Video sessions continue through every move, so the relationship does not have to restart.
Winters and why video helps
Michigan winters are long and snowy, and gray skies can last for weeks. Driving to an appointment on I-696 or I-94 in February is a real cost. Video sessions keep the weekly routine steady through the season, from a dorm room, home or the office.
Ann Arbor and Detroit are three hours ahead of Los Angeles. A 4 pm session after school is 1 pm for the mentor, and evening sessions work well for working clients.
Where a mentor fits
A mentor is a consistent, practical guide, not a therapist, tutor or admissions counselor. College students usually begin with mentoring for college students; parents of teens with mentoring for high school students. The online format is explained on our online mentoring page.
Related
Common questions
Do you work with students in Ann Arbor whose families live elsewhere?
Yes. The student meets the mentor by video, and with permission the mentor shares progress updates with parents wherever they are.
Do you meet clients in person in Michigan?
No. Our team is in Los Angeles, and Michigan clients work with us entirely by video, with text and phone check-ins between sessions.
Can a mentor help with a career decision in the auto industry?
Mentors help with career planning in any field: clarifying goals, building a plan and following through. They are not recruiters or career placement services.
Get started
Want to talk about mentoring for someone in Michigan? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.