The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Together We Thrive Mentorship Program was awarded a $7,500 grant from the MSU Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact. That, with additional matching funds from the college, the program will receive a total of $30,000 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Launched in July 2025, Together We Thrive was created in direct response to student feedback from the college’s Strategic Enrollment Management and Osteopathic Engagement and Community Practice strategic plans. Students identified a strong desire for a structured mentorship program that would foster a sense of belonging, resilience and professional identity as future osteopathic physicians.
What makes Together We Thrive unique is its multi-generational mentorship model. Each first-year medical student participant is paired with three mentors: a faculty member, a MSUCOM alumnus and a third- or fourth-year clerkship student. This structure provides mentees with well-rounded support, helping them navigate academic transitions, access resources and begin shaping their professional paths.
The new funding will expand opportunities for both mentors and mentees. Plans include:
- Providing stipends for mentors to meet with mentees, attend conferences together or cover small expenses that support professional growth.
- Offering academic tutoring or travel assistance for students with unmet needs.
- Hosting guest speakers and programming on topics such as medicine and the arts or financial literacy.
Already, the program has made a difference. In one instance, a mentor helped a first-year student secure urgent dental care through their professional network — an example of how mentorship can provide both personal and academic support.
“Mentorship plays a key role in creating a sense of belonging and resiliency for our students,” said Chinyere Tobias, MSUCOM Senior Academic Learning Specialist and the program’s coordinator. “It helps with retention, persistence and ultimately student success. We want our students to know they are supported from day one, and this program makes that support visible.”
Currently limited to 50 students, the program’s long-term goal is to expand access to any student who wishes to participate. The team hopes to leverage this grant to secure additional funding from professional organizations and community partners to sustain and grow the program.
Together We Thrive is not just the name of the program — it is a call to action. For the college, thriving students mean thriving communities, because when MSUCOM students succeed, they are better prepared to care for the patients and communities who will depend on them.
The program would not have been possible without the support from the MSU Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact, MSUCOM Dean Joyce deJong, D.O., the Osteopathic Engagement and Community Practice committee and the dedicated alumni, faculty and student mentors whose commitment to mentorship makes Together We Thrive possible, Tobias said.
By Andrea Mackey
The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Together We Thrive Mentorship Program was awarded a $7,500 grant from the MSU Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact. That, with additional matching funds from the college, the program will receive a total of $30,000 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Launched in July 2025, Together We Thrive was created in direct response to student feedback from the college’s Strategic Enrollment Management and Osteopathic Engagement and Community Practice strategic plans. Students identified a strong desire for a structured mentorship program that would foster a sense of belonging, resilience and professional identity as future osteopathic physicians.
What makes Together We Thrive unique is its multi-generational mentorship model. Each first-year medical student participant is paired with three mentors: a faculty member, a MSUCOM alumnus and a third- or fourth-year clerkship student. This structure provides mentees with well-rounded support, helping them navigate academic transitions, access resources and begin shaping their professional paths.
The new funding will expand opportunities for both mentors and mentees. Plans include:
- Providing stipends for mentors to meet with mentees, attend conferences together or cover small expenses that support professional growth.
- Offering academic tutoring or travel assistance for students with unmet needs.
- Hosting guest speakers and programming on topics such as medicine and the arts or financial literacy.
Already, the program has made a difference. In one instance, a mentor helped a first-year student secure urgent dental care through their professional network — an example of how mentorship can provide both personal and academic support.
“Mentorship plays a key role in creating a sense of belonging and resiliency for our students,” said Chinyere Tobias, MSUCOM Senior Academic Learning Specialist and the program’s coordinator. “It helps with retention, persistence and ultimately student success. We want our students to know they are supported from day one, and this program makes that support visible.”
Currently limited to 50 students, the program’s long-term goal is to expand access to any student who wishes to participate. The team hopes to leverage this grant to secure additional funding from professional organizations and community partners to sustain and grow the program.
Together We Thrive is not just the name of the program — it is a call to action. For the college, thriving students mean thriving communities, because when MSUCOM students succeed, they are better prepared to care for the patients and communities who will depend on them.
The program would not have been possible without the support from the MSU Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact, MSUCOM Dean Joyce deJong, D.O., the Osteopathic Engagement and Community Practice committee and the dedicated alumni, faculty and student mentors whose commitment to mentorship makes Together We Thrive possible, Tobias said.
By Andrea Mackey