Frederick L. Whiten is a Philadelphia native who stems from a low income background in the Richard Allen projects. He was the first in his family to attend college. As with many young men, as he approached high school graduation, he was unsure what or how to move forward with his life. As a result, he volunteered to join the military thinking it would make him a man. He soon learned it was the internal qualities not the external qualities that make an effective adult.

As he returned from the military, he faced his academic fears and enrolled in a local community college in Philadelphia. He soon learned he had more talent than expected and soon excelled to attend Temple University. There he obtained a bachelors degree in education and advanced to obtain his graduate degree from Antioch University in Counseling.

Mr. Whiten became a teacher in the Philadelphia school system, and taught for four years. He then became a counselor for Temple University Medical School assisting medical school students gain admission, excel and graduate from Temple.

Mr. Whiten has assisted many adults and young people prepare for college, adulthood and their professional careers. He has worked in Temple University’s Adult Program and soon became director of the Veterans and High School Upward Bound Programs at the University of Pennsylvania. After fourteen years of service there, he decided to develop his own company, Because Mentoring Works, to assist young people with the skills and opportunities to be effective role models, community leaders and parents. While developing Because Mentoring Works, he also serviced the Philadelphia school system as an upper level administrator resolving many managerial, student and community issues at West Philadelphia High School. Currently, Mr. Whiten has focused on developing Because Mentoring Works.