ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — The FBI in Columbia has launched its first mentoring program, allowing employees to connect with students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the Midlands and expose them to potential career opportunities.
The program is giving college students insight into the world of federal law enforcement.
“I feel like the government agencies are very misrepresented in the media. So you see the criminal defense, you see people going on these investigations but you don’t really know the ins and outs of the occupation until you ask somebody," said Claflin University sophomore Breeze Smith.
Smith is being mentored by a special agent in the FBI. She has aspirations of being an entertainment lawyer, but says the program has opened her eyes to other dynamic opportunities.
“Some people think it’s very hands on, you’re in the field all of these different things but it’s a lot more technical than that," said Smith. "It’s a lot of computer analyzation going on, a lot of reading, a lot of writing. Things of that nature."
The program started three weeks ago. She says she's found she and her mentor have a few things in common.
“He came from humble beginnings," she said. "I guess you could say it like that. So his story is a little bit different from his colleagues. Some of his colleagues came from upper income families so they have a different outlook on their journeys to success."
Smith is going to be in the program through May 2023 and although she's unsure whether her future is in the FBI, she looks forward to the impact the program could have on the agency by giving diverse students hands-on experience.
“Even now in 2022 the government agencies are not very diversified. There’s hardly any African American people in these spaces and for them to partner with the HBCU’S, it’s a really big step for them and it’s also showing that they really care," said Smith.