PAGE 10A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 – BACK TO SCHOOL
Mentors are key to success at all education stages
T
BY TODD SLISS
here were always teachers I latched onto, so-to-speak, the ones I connected with. I often did better in their classes. They understood me and allowed me to be me. This was in elementary school, junior high/middle school, high school and college. These mentors each helped shape the next phase of my life. I had certain teachers who got me more excited about certain subjects, the same subjects that other teachers couldn’t reach me in. Or maybe it was just their personalities made me eager to show up for class. Either way, any time a teacher can make a student excited out of nowhere, it’s a good thing. Once I got into newspaper reporting in college, the student editors there were my mentors. We took what we learned in the classroom — actually many things we had not yet learned in the classroom — and put it into motion on our own. That was a learning experience, but I got through it by listening to those who were more experienced than I was. I had three sports editors in college before I took over in that position for a couple of years. I had a few editors who prepared me to become the managing editor (that was our second in command) later on.
The role of mentors in a student’s life, whether they be staff, faculty, fellow students or professionals from the real world, can’t be overstated in offering another dimension to the growth process. And, yes, the process is a long one that starts at birth with parents, grandparents and siblings and continues down a more traditional path of mentorship. All these mentors are people you never forget. When your grades no longer factor into your success, their teachings do. And sometimes, thanks to social media, you get to reconnect with them many years later. (Well, that’s how it was for a nearly 40-year-old like me, not for today’s students, of course.) I reached out to some who understand the significance and here’s what they had to say: Rajesh Kumar is the Director of PACT at Mercy College in the Center for Student Success and Engagement/Personal Achievement Contract: Why are mentors important? What impact can they have? RK: Mentors provide students the opportunity to build a personalized relationship to encourage collaboration, development and implementation of the student’s customized plan or life goals. The impact is that PACT mentors can assist in achieving the students’
academic, career, and life goals. How do students find mentors? RK: Students can find mentors through our website, or visiting the PACT offices. In most instances, a student is contacted by a PACT mentor when they register. What are some good ways to stay well connected? RK: Some PACT mentors have Mercy College Facebook accounts. Some are connected through LinkedIn. Most students stay connected with their PACT mentor via phone, email or in person. Jill. C. Hart is the senior director of career services at Mercy College, focusing on professional mentors: Why are mentors important? What impact can they have? JCH: Students need to actively prepare themselves for their careers while they are in college. Mentors are a key component to a student’s professional development. It’s not to say one can’t be successful without a mentor, but having a good one can really enrich the journey from college student to professional. Mentors help guide and develop college students, listening to them, sharing personal anecdotes, providing advice and guidance based on their experience. They can help the student by reviewing their résumé, suggesting
internships and skills to build, doing mock interviews, informing the student what a career is really like in their field, looking for ways to expose the student to the workplace. Students should not expect that a mentor relationship will result in an internship or job. How do students find mentors? JCH: I encourage students to think about their current network, the people they already know who might be willing to mentor them. Sometimes that means family friends, neighbors, past employers or professors. Often alumni will sign up through alumni relations to mentor students. Students can also join professional organizations or clubs to meet people in their field of interest. In seeking a professional mentor, students should look for someone who has experience or expertise they are seeking, and someone who is willing to spend some time together, now and into the future, developing a personal relationship. If a student needs some help figuring out how to find a professional mentor, we encourage them to make an appointment with the career services team. What are some good ways to stay well connected? JCH: Students need to take the lead in building the relationship with their Continued on next page
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