Students, families and young adults in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and across the Triangle can work with a Blackburn mentor by video. We are based in Los Angeles, and Triangle clients meet one dedicated mentor online each week in Eastern time, with text and phone check-ins between sessions. The area’s mix of colleges and research employers means we see high school, college and early-career clients in roughly equal measure.
A region shaped by campuses and research
The Triangle is defined by its colleges and universities and by Research Triangle Park, which draws scientists, engineers and health care workers from all over the country. Many households have parents in technical or academic careers, and many students grow up around a strong expectation that school leads somewhere specific.
That can be motivating. It can also make it hard for a student to admit they are unsure, or that the plan they have been on no longer fits.
College students in the Triangle
Thousands of undergraduates and graduate students live in Raleigh, Durham and the surrounding towns. Common reasons a college student or their parents reach out:
- Falling behind after a strong first semester.
- Unsure about a major and afraid to say so; see changing majors.
- A student who needs structure to finish the degree after time away.
- Planning internships and the first job without a clear starting point.
Mentors are not tutors. They help with time, priorities, follow-through and the bigger question of what the student wants, and they coordinate with campus resources the student already uses.
High school students in Wake and Durham counties
Triangle high schoolers are often balancing advanced coursework with sports, jobs and activities, in a region that keeps growing and keeps getting more competitive. When a parent is involved, a mentor works with the student weekly on goals they set together, and the parent receives regular progress updates. The parent is on the intro call and helps agree the goals from day one.
Newcomers and a growing region
The Triangle keeps growing, and many families arrived recently from other parts of the country, often for jobs in research, technology or health care. Teenagers in towns like Cary, Apex and Morrisville are frequently new to their schools, and young adults arrive for a first job without friends or family nearby. A weekly mentor is one steady relationship while everything else is still settling. Common early goals include building a routine in a new place, getting involved in something outside school or work, and making a plan for the next year rather than just reacting to it.
North Carolina summers are hot and humid, and the public school year generally begins in late August, so many families start mentoring in early summer to have a routine in place before fall.
Practical details for Triangle clients
Time zone
The Triangle is on Eastern time, three hours ahead of Los Angeles. A 5 pm session in Raleigh is 2 pm for the mentor. We schedule in your local time.
Session format
30 or 60 minute video sessions, weekly or several times a week, on a weekly or monthly plan.
Getting started
A five-minute assessment, reviewed personally by our team, then a free intro call and a match with a mentor.
Where mentoring helps most
In a region full of experts, it can feel odd to bring in one more. A mentor is not another expert; it is one consistent person whose job is helping the client act on what they already know. Students on campus usually start with mentoring for college students; parents of teens with mentoring for high school students. Our online mentoring page explains how video sessions run.
Related
Common questions
Do you work with graduate students in the Triangle?
Yes. Graduate students often use mentoring for structure, long-term projects and career planning. Sessions are by video and scheduled in Eastern time.
Can you coordinate with campus advisors?
With the student’s permission, mentors can coordinate with advisors, tutors or other professionals already involved.
Is your team in North Carolina?
No. Our team is in Los Angeles. Triangle clients work with their mentor by video and stay in touch by text and phone between sessions.
Get started
Curious whether a mentor could help someone in the Triangle? 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.