Happy National Volunteer Week! Your Time and Talent is Treasured!

This past year, more than 400 industry professionals have committed more than 2,500 volunteer hours to serve the community through EXP.

EXP staff and students would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our volunteers for their gift of time and talent. Your dedication helps EXP students gain confidence, unlock doors, and succeed in school, career and life! Scroll to the end to read LIVE messages of gratitude from our staff and students.

EXP’s Young Fellow Program Mentor: Nate Russell

“We are all busy, but even a brief encounter can provide a massive impact to a young person,” said Nate Russell, Senior Manager, Contracts, at Raytheon Intelligence & Space, about why he has volunteered with EXP as an industry coach and a mentor for the past 4 years. “Helping that young person understand their inherent value, providing the needed guidance to help them navigate this difficult world and most importantly – letting them know that they have what it takes to succeed no matter what the current situation looks like today!”

As busy as he is, when EXP launched the Young Fellows Program earlier this year, Nate immediately signed up for the opportunity to be a mentor to boys of color.

“The opportunity to build up a deserving young person is the most rewarding part of being a mentor,” Nate added. “When I think about my career/life I had several individuals that did the same for me at the most critical stages. The accumulation of those relationships contributed to my personal and professional development.”

We salute Nate for his dedication to guide our students and his continuous support of EXP!

Volunteer Speaker: Jackie Birdsall

Whether it’s EXP’s GPS Your Future® career discovery event or Women in STEM Career Day, students rush to sign up to see Jackie Birdsall, senior engineering manager, Toyota Motor North America, talk about hydrogen cars and trucks. She is more than happy to share her experience!

An EXP volunteer since 2019, Jackie never passes up a chance to connect with future engineers. “I don’t want any young person to miss out on the opportunity to find their purpose, and should it be automotive engineering, I would be honored to be the one to introduce them to it,” said Jackie. “Growing up I did not know what an automotive engineer was - nobody explained it to me and I had no examples to go off of. Then, when I was 17 my mom introduced me to an automotive engineer. Had I not had that interaction I would have missed out on what I feel is my purpose and my dream job.”

Inspiring high school students to find their career dreams is what drives Jackie. “I love hearing the students’ passion and goals in life. If they all accomplish their dreams I have no doubt our world will become a better place.”

Thanks to volunteer speakers like Jackie, EXP students can explore career possibilities, discover their passion, and find success.

Industry Coach: Second Class Petty Officer John Barber

You can make a difference in someone’s life with just an hour. That’s why Second Class Petty Officer John Barber of the U. S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach volunteers as an EXP Industry Coach at San Pedro High School. Thanks to the commitment to local youth from volunteers like him, EXP students are able to gain confidence to succeed in school, career and life through our industry coaching program.

An Industry Coach helps EXP students explore new opportunities and guides them as they turn their dreams into solid plans for college and careers through a series of activities and discussions. “I wanted to have the opportunity to teach and guide youth towards a future they dream of and can achieve,” said Petty Officer Barber. “Being able to share my own experiences, listen to their questions and concerns, and being able to answer those questions to guide them in the right direction has definitely been the most rewarding aspect of this volunteer program.”

Thank you Petty Officer Barber for helping our students stay the course!

EXP Alum: Aarslan Rafique

“My goal is to give back and inspire or help pass on my 2 cents to any young student struggling to live fearlessly and believe in themselves," said Aarslan Rafique, EXP Class of 2016. "EXP programs have empowered me to rise above the adversity and fears I faced at a young age and given me the tools to create a better future that I have now."

For the past three years, Aarslan has actively volunteered with EXP especially with the International Trade Academy at Phineas Banning High School. Earlier this year, he stepped into the role of mentor with the EXP's Young Fellows Program. "The personal fulfillment I get from serving students and connecting with the EXP community is unmatched," he said. "If you are looking to inspire youth and make a difference in your community, there are so many underrepresented and underserved students with tremendous potential looking for mentorship, love, and support."

Thanks for coming back to support EXP, Aarslan!

2021 Bill Stein Leadership Memorial Award Honoree: Captain Kip Louttit

We wrap up National Volunteer Week with a salute to this year’s Bill Stein Memorial Leadership Award Honoree, Captain J. Kipling Louttit (aka “Captain Kip”)! Captain Kip, executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, has been an EXP volunteer since 2013, serving as an advisory board member of Phineas Banning High School International Trade Academy.

His volunteerism goes far beyond his seat on the board. Always first to volunteer, Captain Kip has been a fixture at mock interview day and become one of our students’ favorite guest speakers.

We get to properly show our appreciation for Captain Kip’s dedication to our local youths at the 21st Oceans of Opportunity virtual celebration on April 29. Please join us!