History

History & Founder

MOSTe was the brainchild of Dr. Lois Frankel, author of best-selling books about women in leadership roles. In 1986, while researching families and education, Dr. Frankel found that young girls from underserved backgrounds were missing out on key information about higher educational and career opportunities. With her colleagues, Dr. Frankel developed a program that would encourage young women not just to stay in school, but to do well in school, learn about the working world, and understand what it takes to become a successful woman.

MOSTe began based on one-on-one mentoring, with the belief that the relationship between a young girl and a successful, professional woman would best achieve the organization’s objectives. Our programs were launched with one partner middle school in Los Angeles. Now, 35 years later, our work has expanded to include six partner middle schools and a presence at more than 30 high schools and 50 colleges across the country.

As of 2022, MOSTe has encouraged over 2,000 girls in underserved Los Angeles communities to grow into confident, connected, and college-educated young women with clear pathways to achieve their long-term career ambitions.