We talk a lot about the importance of mentors, but we don't always share the nitty gritty of what they do for scholars and why it matters. Allow us to share now! Recently, 2021 scholar Natalie, who is attending Brandeis University, reached out to us, to convey gratitude for her mentor Leslie. We were curious about what prompted this, so we caught up with Natalie about how college is going, and how her mentor Leslie has supported her along the way.
Below is an excerpt of our conversation:
When did you first meet your mentor, Leslie?
We first met at the annual backyard meet and greet held at Monica's house. I was so nervous that day, and Leslie was so sweet and kind.
How did you and Leslie build a mentor-mentee relationship?
It’s funny, on paper we are so different. She is a poet and writer, and I am studying biology and science, but she seamlessly bridges that gap and supports me with her network.
What makes Leslie a great mentor to you?
She has always been there for me, just a phone call away, and always willing to advocate for me and support me. For example, recently I had to write a letter to the financial aid office to ask for more financial aid, and Leslie said I could cc her on that email to keep her in the loop and so that she can help advocate for me. That little gesture meant so much to me because it was like — she's here for me, she is here to support me. To know she is in my corner, it makes me feel supported.
And it's not just that. I was feeling a little demoralized by the financial aid situation, and I had a conversation with Leslie about it, and felt uplifted!
She's also super hands-on. Last semester, we brainstormed potential summer jobs for me together over a Google Doc! When she found out I was interested in learning more about what EMT’s (emergency medical technicians) do, she connected me to someone who let me ride along on an EMT truck for a 12-hour shift. Following that, I got my EMT certification, and now I work for the on-campus EMT service at Brandeis.
Key Quote: “She has always been there for me, just a phone call away, and always willing to advocate for me and support me.”
We can glean a few pointers from Natalie and Leslie’s story on what it takes to be a good mentor:
- Little gestures go a long way to show you are in their corner: Simply asking to be cc’d in an email when a scholar is advocating for themself, signals that you’ve got their back!
- Be a thought partner to your scholar: Help them brainstorm potential summer jobs and internships. And the daily tools we already use, like Google Docs, can help bridge the physical gap and facilitate brainstorming from afar!
- You don’t have to have similar interests or backgrounds to be able to make a meaningful connection! In fact, there is tremendous value in the different perspectives you can offer your scholar, informed by your different life experience!