How We Use AI

Effective Date: [September 16, 2026]

We use AI tools to help draft and edit website content, organize program materials, and research colleges, scholarships, and programs that may fit a student's goals. A member of The Rising Fellowship reviews everything before it reaches a student, and all decisions that affect a student, including who a student is matched with and whether a Fellow is accepted, are made by people.

We do not use AI to write any part of a student's application. Our Fellows will not generate essays, personal statements, or supplemental responses for you, and they will not rewrite your work into words that are not yours. Colleges expect your application to be your own work, and many treat AI-generated writing as an academic integrity violation. Your Fellow's job is to help you find and sharpen your own words, not to replace them.

Fellows agree to this in writing when they join. Using AI to produce application content for a student is grounds for immediate removal from the program.

We do not enter students' personal information into public AI tools. Fellows are prohibited from doing so as well.

If you have questions about how we use these tools, or you would prefer that we not use them in work related to you, email therisingfellowship@gmail.com.

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: [September 16, 2026]

The Rising Fellowship values your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains what we collect, why, how long we keep it, and how to have it removed.

1. Who We Are

The Rising Fellowship is an independent, unincorporated volunteer initiative that connects high school students with college students and recent graduates for mentorship through the college application process. We are not affiliated with any university, employer, or organization of our members.

2. Information We Collect

From students and families: name, email address, the email address of a parent, guardian, or school representative, high school, state of residence, grade point average and test scores if provided, availability, and the written responses submitted through our application form.

From Fellow applicants: name, contact information, date of birth, state of residence, institution and enrollment or graduation status, proof of enrollment or graduation, references, and the responses and attestations submitted through the Fellow application and screening forms.

From website visitors: standard information collected by our website host and form provider, such as device and browser information.

We collect this information only when it is submitted voluntarily through our forms or communications.

3. How We Use Information

Student information is used to match students with Fellows, communicate with students and their families, and support students during the program.

Fellow applicant information is used to evaluate applications, verify eligibility, conduct screening, and administer the program.

We may use aggregated, de-identified information to describe the program's reach, for example the number of students served or the states we operate in. This never identifies an individual.

4. What We Do Not Do

We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information. We do not share student information outside the organization except with the Fellow a student is matched with and that student's designated parent, guardian, or school representative, or as described in Section 11 below. We do not collect payment information and do not process financial transactions of any kind. We do not use student information for advertising.

5. How Long We Keep Information

We keep student information for [twelve months] after a mentorship ends, and Fellow screening records for [twelve months] after a Fellow's participation ends, unless we are required to keep them longer or there is an open concern. Applications that do not result in a match are deleted after [twelve months]. We do not retain copies of government-issued identification.

You may ask us to delete your information sooner at any time. See Section 9.

6. Data Protection

We take reasonable measures to protect personal information, including limiting access to program materials to the people who need it and requiring two-factor authentication on program accounts. No method of transmission or storage over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Minors

Our services involve students under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13, and we will delete any such information promptly if we learn we have received it.

For students under 18, we require the email address of a parent, legal guardian, or school representative, and we require a signed consent form from that adult before a student is matched with a Fellow. That adult is copied on all communication between the student and the Fellow.

A parent, legal guardian, or school representative may at any time review the information we hold about their student, ask us to correct it, ask us to delete it, or withdraw the student from the program. Email therisingfellowship@gmail.com.

8. Third-Party Services

We use third-party tools for website hosting, forms, email, and scheduling. These providers process data on our behalf under their own terms and privacy policies. We choose providers that do not require us to share student information for their own purposes.

9. Your Choices

You may ask us to provide a copy of the information we hold about you, correct it, delete it, or stop contacting you. Email therisingfellowship@gmail.com. We respond to these requests within [thirty days]. For a student under 18, a request may be made by the student or by their parent, guardian, or school representative.

10. Screening of Volunteers

As part of screening Fellows, we search publicly available sex offender registries, publicly available court records, and public online sources, and we contact the references an applicant provides. We do this using public sources and with the applicant's written authorization. We do not use commercial background check companies. If that ever changes, we will obtain separate written disclosure and authorization first, as federal law requires.

11. Lawful Disclosure and Safety

We will disclose information, including communications and program records, when required to do so by law, in response to a subpoena, court order, or other valid legal process, and to law enforcement, child protective agencies, or other government authorities investigating conduct connected to this program. We may also disclose information without waiting for legal process where permitted by law and where we believe in good faith that doing so is necessary to protect a student from harm.

Program communications are retained as program records. Fellows are told in writing that their communications are not private to them and may be reviewed, preserved, and disclosed as described here.

12. Updates to This Policy

This policy may be updated periodically. We will change the effective date above when we do. Material changes affecting current students or Fellows will be communicated by email.

13. Contact

Questions about this policy: therisingfellowship@gmail.com

Terms of Use

Effective Date: [September 16, 2026]

Welcome to The Rising Fellowship. By accessing this website or participating in our programs, you agree to the following terms. If you do not agree, please do not use this website or participate in our programs.

1. Purpose

The Rising Fellowship provides general educational information related to higher education access and operates a volunteer mentorship program connecting high school students with mentors, called Fellows, who have been through the college application process. All content and guidance is for informational purposes only and should not be considered academic, legal, financial, immigration, or admissions advice.

2. About the Organization

The Rising Fellowship is an independent, unincorporated volunteer initiative. It operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any educational institution, employer, or organization of its members or volunteers. Any views expressed by a member, volunteer, or Fellow are solely their own and do not represent the positions of The Rising Fellowship or of any institution or employer with which they are associated.

3. Eligibility and Consent

The Rising Fellowship is intended for high school students preparing to apply to college. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13.

Students under 18 are required to provide the email address of a parent, legal guardian, or school representative, and that adult must complete and sign our consent form before the student is matched with a Fellow. That adult will be copied on all communication between the student and the Fellow. We cannot match a student under 18 without this.

4. Fellows

Fellows are volunteers, typically current college students or recent graduates. They must be at least 18 years old, be high school graduates, and be either currently enrolled at an accredited academic institution or a graduate of one. No specific major, degree, or grade point average is required, and we welcome Fellows from diverse backgrounds and schools of thought.

Fellows are not licensed counselors, educators, therapists, or professional admissions consultants, and their guidance reflects their own experience rather than professional expertise. Fellows are unpaid volunteers and are not employees or agents of The Rising Fellowship.

5. Screening of Fellows

Before being matched with a student, every Fellow must verify their enrollment or graduation, complete a public registry and court records check, provide references, sign a code of conduct and volunteer agreement, and attest in writing that they have no history that would disqualify them from working with minors.

Every Fellow must also complete a child sexual abuse prevention training and the mandated reporter training for their own state, and provide certificates of completion, before being matched with a student. Screening and training are repeated or refreshed at least once every twelve months. These requirements apply to everyone who works with students.

Screening reduces risk. It does not eliminate it. The Rising Fellowship cannot guarantee the future conduct of any volunteer, and nothing in these terms should be read as such a guarantee.

6. Program Communication and Conduct

All mentorship sessions and communications take place through official Rising Fellowship accounts and scheduled channels. Fellows and students do not communicate through personal phone numbers, personal email, personal social media, or direct messaging, and do not meet in person outside of program activities. For students under 18, the designated parent, guardian, or school representative is copied on every communication.

No money, gifts, or personal favors are exchanged between Fellows and students or their families.

Any concern about conduct should be reported immediately to therisingfellowship@gmail.com. Reporting a concern will never affect a student's place in the program.

7. Child Safety and Reporting

The safety of students comes before every other consideration in this program.

Fellows are required to report to program leadership immediately any knowledge, suspicion, or disclosure of abuse, neglect, self-harm, or risk of serious harm to a student, and to contact emergency services where circumstances warrant. Fellows are responsible for knowing and complying with the mandatory reporting law of their own state, which in some states applies to any adult, and complete their state's mandated reporter training before being matched with a student.

A parent, legal guardian, or school representative may join any scheduled session between their student and a Fellow, with or without advance notice.

The Rising Fellowship may suspend or remove any Fellow at any time, with or without cause and without notice, including while a concern is under review.

8. Academic Integrity

Everything a student submits to a college must be the student's own work. Fellows will not write, rewrite, or ghostwrite any part of a student's application, essay, personal statement, or supplemental response, and will not use AI tools to generate application content for a student. Fellows will not access, log into, or submit anything through a student's account or application portal. See our How We Use AI page.

9. Voluntary Participation

Participation in The Rising Fellowship is voluntary. Users are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the information provided. The student, the student's parent or guardian, or The Rising Fellowship may end a mentorship pairing at any time, for any reason.

10. No Guarantee of Outcomes

The Rising Fellowship does not guarantee admission to any college, university, or program, and does not guarantee any scholarship, financial aid award, or any specific academic, financial, or professional outcome.

11. No Professional Relationship

Use of this website or participation in our programs does not create any advisory, counseling, fiduciary, or professional relationship between users and The Rising Fellowship, its founders, volunteers, Fellows, advisors, or representatives.

12. No Fees or Donations

The Rising Fellowship is free. We do not charge fees, solicit or accept donations, or process financial transactions of any kind. No contribution to The Rising Fellowship is tax deductible. If anyone requests payment from you in connection with this program, it is not authorized by us. Please report it to therisingfellowship@gmail.com.

13. Media and Materials

We do not photograph, record, or publish images of students without written permission from a parent, legal guardian, or school representative. Where permission is given, we do not identify students by full name. Permission may be withdrawn at any time.

Website content, program materials, and curriculum are the property of The Rising Fellowship and may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without permission.

14. Privacy

Information you submit is used only for matching, communication, and program support, as described in our Privacy Policy. We do not sell student information.

15. User Conduct

Users agree not to misuse the website, submit false or misleading information, impersonate another person, attempt to gain unauthorized access to program accounts, or engage in any activity that could harm the organization, its volunteers, or other users. Submitting false information in a student or Fellow application is grounds for immediate removal.

16. Assumption of Risk

Participation in The Rising Fellowship is voluntary and undertaken at your own risk. Mentorship involves interaction with volunteers who, despite screening, are not employees, are not supervised in real time, and are not professionally credentialed. By participating, you acknowledge and accept this.

17. Disclaimer of Warranties

This website and our programs are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any warranty of accuracy, completeness, fitness for a particular purpose, or uninterrupted availability. Information about colleges, deadlines, scholarships, and financial aid changes frequently, and you should verify it with the institution directly.

18. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Rising Fellowship and its founders, volunteers, Fellows, advisors, and representatives are not liable for any decisions, actions, omissions, or outcomes resulting from the use of this website or participation in its programs, including any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages.

Nothing in this section limits liability for gross negligence or intentional misconduct, and nothing in it waives any right that cannot be waived under applicable law.

19. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Rising Fellowship and its founders, volunteers, Fellows, advisors, and representatives from any claim, loss, or expense, including reasonable attorney fees, arising from your breach of these terms, your violation of law, or your intentional or reckless misconduct.

20. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising from use of this website or participation in the program shall be resolved in the courts of the State of Colorado.

21. Severability and Entire Agreement

If any provision of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force. These terms, together with our Privacy Policy, How We Use AI page, and any consent form or volunteer agreement you sign, constitute the entire agreement between you and The Rising Fellowship regarding your use of this website and participation in our programs. Where a signed consent form or volunteer agreement conflicts with these terms, the signed document controls.

22. Changes to Terms

These terms may be updated at any time. We will change the effective date above when we do. Continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of any changes. Material changes affecting current students or Fellows will be communicated by email.

23. Contact

For questions, please contact: therisingfellowship@gmail.com