The Power of Mentorship
During my high school career I had the opportunity to engage in mentorship, which allowed me to build networking skills, learn from career professionals, enhance my LinkedIn platform, and gain tips for college preparation. I became a mentor in a program at my high school that allowed me to mentor freshman students, preparing them to be successful during their high school careers. Topics that were covered ranged from tips for success in high school, study hacks, advice for applying to colleges, how to apply and look for scholarships, the importance of getting involved in extracurriculars, test prep advice, and so much more. It felt amazing to be able to give back to my fellow students and assist them with questions and concerns that are sure to arise as a high school student navigating new spaces and trying to build the future you desire.
Mentorship has carried me through my collegiate experience as I have been involved in three programs that offer different types of mentorship opportunities for students. The summer before my freshman year of college, I was accepted into the Rutgers Student Transition Program through the Office of Diversity Programs at Rutgers University-Newark. Peer mentorship and enriching sessions with career professionals provided a foundation of excellence and transparency. As an incoming freshman, it was important for me to hear from various professionals to grow a deeper understanding of the business majors offered at Rutgers and the versatile careers that are attained post-graduation. It was also very important to engage with more tenured students at Rutgers for guidance in navigating Rutgers Business School, its programs and offerings, and classes. In brief, this program helped me to form my own roadmap of who I want to be, what career I want to have, and where I want to be after college. I have also participated in the Rutgers Peer Mentoring Program and the Rutgers Team UP Program, both of which have paired me with the best mentors! Although these programs have since ended, I am still connected to my peer and professional mentor because of the relationship we formed through mentorship.
The Benefits of Peer Mentorship
Having a more tenured Rutgers student mentor me was one of the most rewarding aspects of my freshman year of college. My mentor assisted me with resume building, choosing classes each semester, developing a balanced academic schedule, providing me with an abundance of resources, and recommending great professors for future classes. As I continue to grow as a scholar and approach graduation, my peer mentor has reviewed my resume to showcase my most important and relevant skills. She has suggested certifications for me to pursue, reviewed cover letters for suggestions and edits, walked me through a scheduling crisis when a class was no longer being offered, and connected me with a really nice professor for macroeconomics! The advice and guidance provided to me by my peer mentor was so incredibly helpful to me, and even as she has since graduated, we still reach out to each other, and she assists me academically and professionally whenever I need guidance. I now have a personal relationship with my student mentor, who is now my friend that has always been there for me when I need advice regarding school, internships, and life after college, or even lending a listening ear when I am stressed!
The Benefits of Professional Mentorship
Having a professional mentor was an incredible experience. It allowed me to learn and be advised by someone who has had incredible success in their career. Through the Rutgers TeamUP program, students can browse through a list of professional mentors, and can view where they are employed and what their title is. Luckily, I was able to find a mentor who is a marketing professional at a large company, which was perfect for me as I aspire to be a marketing professional after graduating next May! My professional mentor guided me through my internship application processes, wrote a letter of recommendation for me for a scholarship, assisted me in professional crises, and sent me a myriad of internship opportunities during my search for a summer internship. Throughout the program, my mentor connected me with people in his network that could assist me with any questions I had about specific roles and companies. He also connected me with professionals to conduct informational interviews which helped me to grow my own network and foster relationships with other professionals. My professional mentor assisted me with all questions I had about the marketing industry, reviewed my resume and cover letters for additional suggestions, gave me advice on life after college, and suggested events for me to attend to continue to grow my network.
Key Takeaways
Mentorship has helped me greatly along my collegiate journey, and as I continue to build relationships through mentorship programs, the power of mentorship will continue to help me navigate different facets of life. I encourage all students to take advantage of mentorship programs in their communities, religious groups, schools, etc. Mentorship helps people in different ways depending on what stage of life you are embarking on, but from my experience mentorship has been nothing but a blessing to my collegiate experience and my growing career in Marketing. If you have the opportunity to be a part of any mentorship or career-advancing programs take it, as it may open many doors for you that you did not even know could be opened!
