The meaning of mentor as told by Homer in his epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus asked his trusted friend, Mentor, to watch over his household and guide the development of his son, Telemachus, while Odysseus embarked on his 20-year journey. Throughout Telemachus' life, Mentor advised him and served as his instructor and role model. Mentor eventually prepared Telemachus for his own journey into the world, providing encouragement and offering to accompany him. The ancient Greeks knew the value of a caring adult in a child's life.

In the Greek alphabet, the omega is the 24th letter. The two omegas in MENTOR's logo offer a visual representation of the mentoring concept. The larger of the two omegas represents the caring adult mentor; the smaller omega represents the child eager to fulfill his or her potential. Placement of the two omegas is significant: the adult mentor (the larger omega) stands in the background, offering encouragement and support and serving as a role model to the child mentee (the smaller omega).

The omegas that appear in MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership's logo symbolize the Greek roots of the mentoring concept, an ancient form of social interaction with very modern applications.

The dual omegas can also be interpreted as a symbol of the lasting impact a mentor can have on a mentee throughout his or her life. Upon reaching adulthood, the former mentee can better appreciate the profound impact the mentor has had - and resolve to do the same for another child. Thus, the continuum of caring is passed from generation to generation.

Interpreted another way, the omegas represent the strong relationship between MENTOR and the network of State and Local Mentoring Partnerships. Working together, MENTOR and the partnerships amplify mentoring's voice and leverage the resources available to expand mentoring efforts throughout the country.