Region 7 Mentoring Program

What takeaways have you learned from your mentor/mentee?

You must be willing to give yourself a chance for new roles, as you never know how far you can go if you don’t try. While I still maybe rather new in advising I feel I can stand on my own in my role at my institution, and provide support for others coming in. My mentor does the same thing in her new role in a recently created department and support her academic advisors. | Ashleigh Snell, 2023-2024 Mentee

What takeaways have you learned from your mentor/mentee?

I have gained many takeaways from my mentor. My main takeaway is to ask questions! David would encourage me to question policies or decisions, and doing so has helped grow my confidence in my workplace. Another big takeaway I had was how to survive as an Introvert in an Extroverted world. One of my favorite “assignments” was to read Quiet by Susan Cain. This book was very enlightening and reassured me that I could in fact, be an Academic Advisor even if I have Introvert tendencies. I would, and do, encourage reading this book to gain important insights on working with Introverts and Extroverts alike. My last biggest takeaway was how to be a leader. David is a true leader and mentor and has set a wonderful example for me in the future as I seek more leadership roles. | Mary Paradoski, 2023-2024 Mentee

How has your relationship with your mentor/mentee changed throughout the program?

Clearly, we come from very different backgrounds academically and personally, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much we had in common, such as some personal characteristics concerning introversion, hesitance to speak in front of others and to confront uncomfortable situations. I’m not sure how much she realizes the strength I receive just from working with her each month. Again, I am glad to have a small part of her professional development. | David Smith, 2023-2024 Mentor