The Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program serves African American, Latina, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) students in the nursing programs at Simmons University. Through mentorship, leadership training, volunteerism, and career counseling, the program has empowered ALANA and first-generation nursing students for over a decade, investing in their success as learners, healthcare professionals, and leaders. The Dotson program is designed to address the social and academic barriers faced by many first-generation and ALANA nursing students, as well as to prepare them for the workplace through the mentoring relationship. Based on their program of study, Dotson scholars are matched to a mentor (a nurse in the community, Simmons nursing graduate and/or faculty member) who meets with them weekly. Scholars in the traditional four year program do not receive a mentor until the second year, while Direct Entry and Accelerated scholars are assigned a mentor when they begin the program.