Rochester Student Finds New Career Options, Thanks to Project Legacy and Mayo Clinic

Written by Megan Lakatos, and originally published by Mayo Clinic. This story is being re-published on Project Legacy’s website with permission.

Bor Makuach was barely 16 when he found himself stepping up to take care of his family when an unexpected life event brought about financial hardships.

Six years later, in 2023, Makuach became the first in his family to go to college and began attending Rochester Community and Technical College to study computer science. But with his family still facing financial hardships, he contemplated dropping out so he could get a job to continue supporting his family.

Makuach's friends knew the situation he was in and encouraged him to join Project Legacy, a nonprofit organization that provides hope, connections, and ongoing support and mentorship to youth who may have experienced poverty, trauma or other hardships. The organization's programs help youth heal from oppression, transform their lives and become involved members of the community

Bor Makuach with his Mayo mentor, Seth Nfonoyim-Hara, Ph.D.

Mayo Clinic has long supported Project Legacy.

"We know that when young children experience hardship, it can affect their emotional health, their physical health, their academic health — every aspect of their lives can be affected," says Karen Edmonds, co-founder and executive director of Project Legacy. "Breaking the patterns that they've grown up in and creating a positive legacy is what we're all about."

One of the key offerings of Project Legacy is a healing circle, which pairs the benefits of talk therapy, support groups and verbal processing in a group setting with a trained youth peer mentor and adult facilitator.

During a Project Legacy healing circle, Makuach sought advice on whether he should stay in college.

"The participants were able to counsel him and said that if he stays in school, he will be able to provide for his family at a much higher level than if he were to drop out," Edmonds says. "Framing the decision in that way helped Bor come to terms with the guilt he was feeling for not staying home and helping his family."

Making an 'MPACT'

The decision to stay in school has had a lasting effect on Makuach, eventually leading him to participate in a mentorship program at Mayo Clinic.

The Mentorship Program for Advancement, Connection and Transformation, or MPACT, came to be when Edmonds was introduced to Kim Van Rooy, the administrator for Diversity and Inclusion within Mayo Clinic's Department of Medicine in Rochester.

Van Rooy along with Rahma Warsame, M.D., Jane Njeru, M.B.Ch.B., Anne Schletty and Anne Edwards created the mentorship program. It aims to enhance the educational experience and career pathways of students from underserved groups. The program also seeks to build trust and relationships with the community and expand the recruitment pool for a diverse workforce.

"MPACT focuses on addressing one of the most modifiable social determinants of health, which is education," says Dr. Warsame, who is the associate chair for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity in Mayo Clinic's Department of Medicine in Rochester. "Opportunities are differentially available based on one's demographics and intersectionality, so to try to offset those inequalities, we want to approach change first within our walls and drive it outward."

Students who participate in MPACT through Project Legacy are matched with mentors across Mayo Clinic based on their career interests. They have one-on-one sessions with their mentors on topics such as course selection, resume and interview tips, starting a professional career, job shadowing and critical skills for success.

"We have very limited staff at Project Legacy, and now, we have these amazing professionals at Mayo Clinic who are assisting us in providing the same programming that is part of our mission, which is access to people, opportunities and resources that our youth wouldn't otherwise have," Edmonds says.

During MPACT's first two years, 32 Project Legacy scholars were matched with mentors from Mayo Clinic, and three participants are now employed full-time at Mayo.

"The MPACT program is one of many equity, inclusion and diversity initiatives underway in the Department of Medicine that enable us to engage with and directly improve the sphere of influence and opportunity for vulnerable youth," says Dr. Warsame. "The program is incredibly meaningful to our staff who serve as mentors because it brings them purpose and fulfillment, which we know to be critical components to their overall satisfaction, fighting against burnout and retention."

A transformational internship

With an interest in robotics, automation and engineering, Makuach was eager to participate in the MPACT program. He was matched with Seth Nfonoyim-Hara, Ph.D., a principal engineer in Mechanical Development at Mayo Clinic.

"The MPACT program was an amazing experience that revitalized my way of thinking about my path for the future," Makuach says. "My mentor and other colleagues at Mayo Clinic helped me map out my aspirations and what I want to achieve both academically and professionally." 

Van Rooy, who is also an operations administrator for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, arranged for Makuach to participate in an internship under the supervision of Andy Storm, M.D., a consultant in the division, Shauna Hirsch, operations administrator in Research Services, and Christine Dvorak, operations manager.

Makuach worked side by side with teams on projects in medical artificial intelligence, novel minimally invasive procedures and device development, and endoscopic robotics.

"All the different experiences that I've gained so far have really been cutting-edge," he says. "This internship has changed the entire trajectory of my life and career, and has opened my eyes to a world of possibilities."

Project Legacy has also provided Makuach with resources such as professional attire and a computer to help him be successful.

"Today, Bor is self-confident," Edmonds says. "He is focused on his future and planning for graduate school. At Mayo Clinic, he has mentors who challenge him and teach him, and most importantly, they believe in him. Bor exemplifies everything Project Legacy stands for, and we are so proud of him."

Now at North Dakota State College of Science working toward an associate degree in robotics, automation, and mechatronics engineering, Makuach says he is armed with the tools, resources and motivation to make a difference, especially in South Sudan.

"I am South Sudanese, and my father has always told me of my need to 'go home,' which has always inspired my aspirations," he says. “My time at Mayo has shown me what innovation in healthcare and technology can do to enhance the lives of patients and the community. I envision a world where we can democratize these advancements to provide food, healthcare and security needs within our communities.”

As Makuach soon wraps up his internship, Dr. Storm hopes he will pursue a career at Mayo Clinic like several other MPACT participants have.

"Bor has shown himself to be an incredibly bright, motivated and capable student. He has taken advantage of every opportunity made available to him, growing his network and framework of understanding our medical innovation teams," Dr. Storm says. "I hope this will serve as a construct for his future success in technology development as he either returns to join our team or as he moves into another field of his choosing. We certainly hope he'll consider joining the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Artificial Intelligence Lab at Mayo in the future."

More information
Contact Karen Edmonds if you are interested in learning more about Project Legacy or Dr. Warsame if you are interested in the Department of Medicine's MPACT program.