Over the past academic year I have had the opportunity to become a mentor to a student at the University of Dayton. I will be honest; I was scared. For those who know me, I can be quite silly. I was extremely nervous about the fact that I would be helping a student, who is in the midst of their college journey, decide what they want to do with their life and how to attack the real world. That is a heavy load, but one that was quickly lightened after I met Emily.
Emily is my mentee who is hands down, one of the brightest, outgoing, and determined individuals I have met in a long time. Emily has recently decided to continue her education even further by attending law school. Her drive is incalculable and second to none. I am extremely thankful as well to UD for creating this program which allowed me to meet her. So why should you become a mentor? Three reasons:
1) We all make mistakes, but can help others before they make them – We all, at some point in our lives, have made a stupid decision that resulted in some restless nights or headaches. The great thing is that we learned from the experience and can help keep others from following that path and guide them in a more positive direction.
2) Creating New Friendships – I know it sounds corny, but it is true. One of the many things I have gotten from this mentorship program is a new friend. Emily is hilarious and I enjoy the time I spend with her. It is amazing to connect with a person whom I may have never met and start to form that friendship. I am excited to see the next stage in her life and what she can achieve.
3) Giving back feels GREAT! – I have an extremely busy schedule. It seems like I am usually in some meeting or at a networking event every day. This doesn’t allow me time for some of the things that I want to do with regard to service or community involvement, but I’m very glad I made time for this. It is easy for anyone to simply write a check, but is that enough? Participating in the Mentor program has not only let me impact a fellow Flyer’s career, but gives me a warm feeling knowing that I helped make a difference.
Being a mentor is not a quick and easy task, but the benefits from a mentorship are amazing. I would highly encourage everyone to get involved with this type of program at some point in their life.