Growth happens through connection. Creatures Of Mentors fellowship program; where university students and emerging educators work directly with middle and high school learners on creative, academic, and purpose-driven projects.
It’s a space where curiosity meets guidance, and where learning becomes a shared act of building.
Creatures Of Mentors
The Mission
To create a network of compassionate, creative mentors who help young learners find confidence, direction, and joy in their work, while developing leadership, teaching, and facilitation skills of their own.
Connection
Mentorship rooted in empathy and authentic relationships.
Creativity
Learning through exploration, curiosity, hands-on projects.
Growth
Students become more capable, confident, and inspired.
How It Works
Each cohort runs for 6 to 8 weeks, pairing university mentors with middle or high school students.
Together, they design and complete a project based on the student’s interests, whether academic, creative, or entrepreneurial.
Mentors receive training in communication, coaching, and project design before meeting students.
Throughout the program, mentors attend regular cohort meetings, track progress, and reflect on growth.
At the end of each cycle, students and mentors showcase their projects in a digital or in-person presentation and reflection event that celebrates learning and collaboration.
Who Can Join
Curious about learning through real-world projects
Looking for academic support, enrichment, or creative guidance
Open to collaboration, feedback, and personal growth
Mentors
Education, Psychology, Tech, or Design students
Emerging educators, facilitators, or community builders
Interested in mentorship, teaching, or leadership experience
2–3 hours per week commitment
Students
What Makes it Work
University mentors work alongside Creatures of Learning educators and student coordinators.
Co-Leadership Model
Students design something meaningful, such as a research paper, digital prototype, art series, or community project.
Hands-On Projects
Mentors gain real-world experience in facilitation, lesson design, and youth engagement.
Professional Development
A supportive network of mentors, educators, and learners connected through compassion, creativity, and purpose.
Community
Join Creatures Of Mentors
We are recruiting our next cohort of mentors and student participants.
If you are ready to teach, learn, and grow together, we would love to connect.
Apply as a student
Apply as a mentor
School Partnerships
Samir Abukhodair
Program Director and Founder of Creatures Of
Samir Abukhodair is an educator, builder, and founder of Creatures Of.
With a background in engineering, design, and education, he brings a systems-minded approach to teaching that connects structure with creativity and learning with purpose.
Samir has worked across classrooms, startups, and community programs, helping students discover confidence through curiosity and connection. His work focuses on bridging academic learning with mentorship, emotional intelligence, and real-world problem-solving.
Through Creatures of Mentors, he is building a community where students and mentors learn to think deeply, collaborate meaningfully, and grow into compassionate, capable people.
Raphael Cohen-Shippee
Founding Mentor
Raphael Cohen-Shippee is a teacher, recent graduate, and aspiring entrepreneur. From studying sociology and entrepreneurship at Temple University, he learned how to analyze problems and develop impactful solutions. He is passionate about making a positive difference in peoples’ lives, and he believes that the most powerful way to do that is through education.
At Temple, he was a Career Advisor, tutor, social researcher, and President of the sociology club. He is currently a Student Success Coach in a public school in Philadelphia. In the fall, he will join Teach For America to be a middle school science teacher in D.C. He is also developing an educational game that utilizes AI to allow students to have open-ended conversations that develop their critical thinking and social-emotional skills.
He hopes to share some of his experiences to help guide and support mentees through Creatures of Mentors.
