Investment News: Chad Tischer - Mentoring Excellence

Chad Tischer - Mentoring Excellence

Published in InvestmentNews on September 9, 2012.

Chad Tischer, a principal at DiMeo Schneider & Associates LLC in Chicago, has been an after-school tutor for the Midtown Educational Foundation for 10 years and considers it a part of his normal routine.

The foundation provides after-school and summer academic and character-training programs for Chicago kids from grades 4 through 12.

The tutoring program has won many accolades for its results - most notably that 100% of the high school seniors in it have gone on to college for 13 years in a row.

"I'm very busy, like lots of other people, so I like that the program has a proven model that works," Mr. Tischer said.

A typical two-hour session is highly structured, with 75 minutes of tutoring, 30 minutes of sports or music, 10 minutes of character education (through guided discussion) and five minutes of personal goal-setting.

Mr. Tischer is co-chairman of the young professionals' auxiliary board, which is responsible for recruiting and retaining volunteers, as well as fundraising for special projects. The majority of tutors are in their 20s and 30s.

"I have a smile on my face every time I leave," he said. "I am a positive role model and help them understand there are opportunities out there."