Since the 1970s Dan Bassill, founder of the Tutor/Mentor Connection (led by Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC since 2011) has used visualizations to share strategies and resources. The visual essays on this page share some of the background and history from when we were created in 1993 by volunteers who were also starting a new program to serve teens in the Cabrini-Green area of Chicago.
The original collection of PDFs are listed on this page.
Create your own versions and focus the strategies on your own city. Show your support with a contribution. click here
Why did one, new, small Chicago tutor/mentor program create the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993? - click here
Case Statement of Tutor/Mentor Connection, from 1990s - click here
Four part strategy of Tutor/Mentor Connection, launched 1993. This is from 1990s report. - click here
2010 University of Chicago Net Impact comparison of the Tutor/Mentor Connection in Chicago to similar intermediaries in other cities - click here
Review of 2000-2010 Tutor/Mentor Connection and Cabrini Connections tutor/mentor program - click here
2010 was the final full year that the Tutor/Mentor Connection and Cabrini Connections were a combined non-profit. In mid 2011 Dan Bassill created the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC to keep the T/MC alive in Chicago.
This visual essay was created in 2012 to show the value the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC offered to Chicago and other cities - click here
View growth of Tutor/MentorConnection network on Ning between 2007 and 2012. Work done by Chul Wan Park, and intern from South Korea - click here
Read this blog article to read about this network analysis work by Chul Wan Park and Mina Song.
View growth of Tutor/MentorConnection network on Ning between 2007 and 2012. Report created by Mina Song, and intern from South Korea - click here
Learn about the resources available in the library on this website - click here
Note. The website platform was upgraded in mid 2025 and the look is slightly different than what is shown in these slides. However, the organization of the library is the same.
Introduction to Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present) - click here
Master Plan for Saving Kids. 1998 review of Tutor/Mentor Connection - click here
Using HS drop-out data to create a strategy that makes mentor-rich programs available to more youth - click here
What are the primary most critical resources needed in a program? Survey results from early 2000s conferences - click here
Invitation to researchers and universities. Adopt the Tutor/Mentor Connection. Do this type of research to build an understanding of all youth-serving programs in your community, who they serve, what challenges they face, where more are needed. Teach other students marketing and public awareness skills that they can use to draw users to the information you collect, and to the programs operating in your community.
