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LOSFA’s mentoring program, Aspire To Inspire, hosted its 3rd annual luncheon

Contact
Brittany Francis
Public Information and Communications Director 
(225) 219-3306 Office

Tyana Daquano
Public Information Officer
(225) 342-5173 Office

Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) 

May 13, 2019

LOSFA’s mentoring program, Aspire To Inspire, hosted its 3rd annual luncheon

Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance recently hosted its 3 rd annual Aspire To Inspire (A2I) luncheon in downtown Baton Rouge.  This year’s luncheon theme was  “ Reach Beyond the Stars.” 

The A2I luncheon celebrated students’ accomplishments and honored their achievements. A total of 68 mentees were in attendance, and 176 received award recognition.

Two mentees, Julia Quinn and Ty’Jaya Morris received a $500 award from this year’s program sponsor, Dr. Rhonda Pruitt, owner of True Care Dental, for being A2I Mentees of the Year. Four mentees received a $125 award. 

A2I current eighth grade mentee, Anaisha Knighten from Park Ridge Academic Magnet School, spoke about how the mentoring program gave her the tools she needed to enter high school with a passion and a purpose.  Other mentees freely spoke about how working with their mentors have changed their lives and made them better people. 


Students also participated in a Dress for Success session led by guest and CEO of Sharp Crisp Clean, Marvin Dupiton.

Marvin Dumont (left) assisting Mentee, Michael Wisham (right) from Scotlandville Magnet High School, in a tie demonstration during his Dress for Success session.

Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, Commissioner of Higher Education, shared how important each mentee is to the state of Louisiana and how the state needs them, their talents, and abilities; encouraging them to reach higher and to go beyond where they are now. 

Keynote speaker, Attorney Joshua T. Hollins from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, shared three main ingredients for success; “the importance of mentorship, the importance of your choices and decisions, and the importance of your character.” 

Founder of Aspire to Inspire, Program Administrator and Lead Mentor, Khristopher Hobbs, said, “A2I started with a goal and a vision for a mentoring program that would honor those who are often taken for granted or left out. I wanted to help provide that extra push and be the kind of mentor that I needed years ago.” 


A2I has grown from its inception three years ago, from serving 50 mentees to now mentoring more than 344 mentees around the state. 

Former mentee and now current mentor, Nicolas Cobb, joined the program in October of 2016. He said, “A2I gave him a platform and the confidence to embrace who he is because he didn’t know who he was before.” 

Closing out the program, LOSFA Field Outreach Director, Dr. Tireka Cobb, told the students that “everybody has a past, but it’s about your future and how people are working every day to make sure you make it to that future.” 


Dr. Sujuan Boutte, LOSFA’s Executive Director, reminded students to “Invest in yourself because it’s the only investment you’ll make in your life where you control the return.”

 A2I maintains a 100 percent graduation rate.  From 2015 – 2018, 129 high school seniors received their high school diploma.


For more information about LOSFA’s Aspire to Inspire comprehensive mentoring program, click here .

  • Mentee, Ty’Jaya Morris, from McKinley Middle Magnet, received a $500 award from Dr. Rhonda Pruitt, Owner of True Care Dental, for being a Jr. High Mentee of the Year.
  • A2I Mentees engaged at the “Reach for the Stars” luncheon.