Alumnae Association

Welcome to a new year and a new decade filled with endless possibilities and opportunities. Personally, I have long since stopped making resolutions. I never did lose all the weight I wanted to. never managed to save all the money I needed. I never lived in a large, palatial house. I never got to travel extensively. I’ve never owned anything of real value and I never became the actress I studied for and dreamed of becoming. A power much greater and stronger than I had a different path mapped out for me, and since I am turning sixty-five this year, I can say that it is okay. Life experiences clearly outweigh hopes and dreams in each of those categories except one. I still want to be an actress.

You’ll note that I never said I failed. Life and circumstances have a way of opening your eyes and heart to opportunities you may never have thought possible. I met many people along the way who became role models and mentors, and the teachings they left me with became a part of my personal fabric. If you are a people-person that curing process just seems to happen naturally, and eventually roles are reversed and you become the teacher, the mentor someone else may be looking for.

So, what is a mentor? Claire Diaz-Ortiz, co-author of the "One Minute Mentoring" and former Twitter executive shares, “While most people agree that having a mentor is a good thing, they don’t know how to find one or use one. And despite widespread approval for the idea of being a mentor, most people don’t think they have the time or skills to do so.” What did Claire do? She joined forces with “Legendary Management Guru” Ken Blanchard to combine their knowledge and provide a fail-safe approach to intergenerational mentoring providing insight into the importance of mentoring and “encouraging them to pursue personal mentoring relationships.” They use Blanchard’s parable format to explain the brilliant why and wherefor of effective communication and relationships across generations. It is great for individuals and companies alike. I am a fan of Ken Blanchard’s One Minute Series. I am also a devotee of Og Mandino’s books albeit they are much older. They are also written in the style of good parable and from personal experience.

For me, real mentoring came to me as an undergrad doing my student teaching. I was blessed to be able to work with one of my favorite high school teachers. Mr. T knew me and knew what I was capable of. He was genuine in his approach and realistic in his hopes. To this day, I love the man dearly for all that he instilled in me. Mrs. S, affectionately known to her students as “Mom” was also a huge influence on my decision to go into education. Some of my professors and admired businesswomen at UMPI were both mentors and Honorary Sisters of KDPNAS, Inc.—Dr. Ruth Anderson, Dr. Rebecca Herrick Wambaugh, Ruth Reed Mraz, Mary “Mike” Carter and Joanne St. Onge. They have all since passed, but what they gave me can never be erased. I’ve had five young student teachers under my tutelage, and I can only hope that I gave them what they needed to move forward in their careers.

In my many roles within our beloved Sisterhood, I hope that I have shown strength and tenacity. I also hope that I have given you some of my spirit, my love and my devotion. My mentors were and still are my sister-contemporaries and of course, the Brothers of KDP, Inc. These days I find myself gradually phasing out of a leadership role, but that doesn’t mean that I am done. Not yet.

My advice to you is move on with your dreams and goals. Believe in yourself and in others. Be the kind of person you hope to be remembered as. Find yourself a mentor and don’t be afraid to become a mentor for as our motto espouses, May the Spirit Never Die.

In the spirit and love of KDPNAS, Inc., Susan Dyer Taylor, Executive Director Emeritus President KDPNAS Alumnae Association, Inc. Kappa Mu, 1975