In 2001, Dr. Al Simone, President of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), participated in the Mosaic Partnerships Program in Rochester. As a result of his experience in the Program, Dr. Simone was moved to implement Mosaic Partnerships at his university. Recently, RIT made national news for Dr. Simone’s diversity initiatives for hiring and retaining minorities. Both Black Issues in Higher Education and Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education featured RIT as a role model for U.S. universities for recruiting and retaining faculty of color. Dr. Simone attributes a part of this success to the Mosaic Partnerships Program.

Michael Coniff, a Mosaic Partner in Rochester, is the administrator for a Neighborhood Empowerment Team office in the Maplewood neighborhood of Rochester. In that position, he works to resolve neighborhood issues. Maplewood is experiencing an influx of people of color, which has resulted in increased racial tension in the community. After completing the Mosaic Program, he recognized the Program’s ability to strengthen race relations and build bridges between people. In response to the growing racial divide, he decided to bring the Program into his community.

The Program designed for Maplewood has two parts. First, 30 neighborhood residents will be paired across race and/or ethnicity. They will begin the Mosaic journey to friendship and trust building in September 2005. Second, 15 students from a predominately white high school in the neighborhood will be paired with 15 students from a predominately African-American high school. This part of the Program will run the length of the school year, September 2005 to June 2006

After completing the Mosaic Program, one participant, an executive at Eastman Kodak, living in a suburb of Rochester, was inspired to initiate a service project within the Rochester City School District. His first inclination was to contact his Mosaic partner, who was a member of the school board. The school board put them in touch with the principal of a grammar school located in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood where absenteeism due to illness was very high. The school’s kindergarten classroom had become disorganized and unclean. The partner and a group of friends cleaned the classroom completely and reorganized its contents. Not only is the classroom more pleasant but absenteeism has dropped dramatically. The success of this initiative has encouraged this Mosaic partner to plan another project with the school.

Danny Wegman, President of Wegmans Food Markets, was a Mosaic partner in the first phase of the Rochester Program. To continue his commitment to make Wegmans “America's Best Employer” to work for (Ranked #1 by Fortune magazine and the Great Places to Work Institute), Danny initiated a student mentoring project for children of various racial, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. Inspired by the Mosaic Program, Danny involved his Mosaic cluster group, which gladly provided assistance. The purpose of the project is to identify at-risk students in the Rochester City School District at an early age and assign them a mentor through their school years. Students in the mentoring project have achieved better academic success and much higher graduation rates. Wegmans also offers these at-risk students an opportunity to work in Wegmans stores where the mentoring continues in the work environment.

Wade Norwood, Danny's Mosaic partner, assisted the effort by identifying mentors in the African-American community and providing other similar support for the project. According to Danny, he has the way and the will, but not the expertise or knowledge of the community. Wade, as a Rochester City Council Member and very knowledgeable about the city, was able to provide information without which the mentoring project may not have come together.

A Mosaic partner has taken steps to develop a project to encourage city students to read. Her goal is to provide a home library for every student in the Rochester City School District. She has begun this endeavor with one second grade class. Initially, each home library will include seven to eight starter books, a book shelf, a reading lamp, and an area rug. This partner has solicited volunteers, starting with her Mosaic Partnerships cluster group, who will go into the school to support this project either by mentoring one student and offering to support the child’s efforts at home, or by reading to the entire class.

Brenda Lee and Sandra Frankel offer a prime example of the social capital building fostered by Mosaic Partnerships. Brenda Lee, a Dean at the University of Rochester Medical School, and Sandy Frankel, Brighton Town Supervisor, began their Mosaic partnership in 2001. As an African-American woman, Brenda was reluctant at first to participate in yet another race relations experiment, having experienced her share of failed diversity programs in the past. She was pleasantly surprised about her positive experience in the Mosaic Program and by its unexpected outcome. Her partnership with Sandy developed into a close friendship involving families and friends. Four years later, they share a host of memories including birthdays, surprise anniversaries, children’s weddings, parent’s deaths, Christmas dinners, Jewish foods, and Sandy’s re-election campaign.

Recognizing the impact of the Program, the two partners have become staunch advocates for Mosaic Partnerships. They epitomize the Program’s goals and exemplify its intended outcome in their workplaces and communities. Because of their prominence and respect in the community, the world around them is changing as a result of their transformation. Their ongoing friendship is destined to bring about far reaching changes in the Rochester community.