{"id":17381,"date":"2023-01-19T13:35:57","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T18:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/alumni\/?p=17381"},"modified":"2023-07-10T16:42:51","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T20:42:51","slug":"blog-mentoring-preparing-for-future-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/alumni\/2023\/01\/19\/blog-mentoring-preparing-for-future-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Mentoring: Preparing for future success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted January 2023<\/em><\/p>\n

In support of National Mentoring Month, we’re shining a spotlight on amazing Terrier mentoring stories. If you want to mentor a Terrier, volunteer on BU Connects<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

When David Mannion (ENG\u201991)<\/strong> received an email from the College of Engineering about a mentoring program launching on BU Connects, the time was right for him to volunteer. With two kids out of college and 30+ years of experience in his field, David says, \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity now for me to give back to BU and to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other end of the spectrum, Noah Robitshek (ENG\u201925)<\/strong> was only in the second semester of his freshman year when he was matched with David. When they began communicating in Spring 2022, neither David nor Noah knew quite what to expect from a mentoring program, but it quickly became apparent that it would be beneficial to both of them. Having the opportunity, as Noah says, to discuss his academic and professional career with someone with decades of experience \u201creally contextualizes your learning and helps you succeed in classes and in school in general.\u201d <\/p>\n

Meeting on Zoom about once a week, David typically comes to their mentoring sessions with planned discussion points and questions, but the conversations frequently weave through topics such as what classes Noah should register for, how to fine-tune his resume for an upcoming internship application, David\u2019s professional perspectives on Noah\u2019s course material, and more. Noah had been considering pursuing software engineering, but David helped open his eyes to the extensive opportunities within the greater computer engineering field. For David, these meetings are ultimately about preparing Noah to get a job after he graduates and \u201call the 10,000 steps he has to do between now and then to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Noah gives kudos to the College of Engineering faculty and Career Development office, he says that having a mentor helps him view his BU experience and career more holistically. David has been in Noah\u2019s shoes and knows not just about jobs in computer engineering but about the paths and perspectives that will help Noah succeed with any endeavors he pursues. \u201cProfessors are very good sources for information,\u201d Noah says, \u201cbut there\u2019s nothing like somebody who\u2019s in the field.\u201d For Noah, there\u2019s something special about having a mentor like David whose career he can visualize emulating.<\/p>\n

Two semesters into their mentoring experience, Noah and David seem more committed than ever. David encourages alumni to try mentoring for a semester, even if they worry they don\u2019t have the time. \u201cThere\u2019s so much flexibility,\u201d David says, because mentors and mentees schedule meetings for mutually beneficial times, and pick the modes of communication that work best for them, whether that\u2019s in-person meetings, Zoom chats, emails, or texts. The experience has been extremely rewarding for David, and it\u2019s particularly satisfying being able to give back to BU. Upon hearing about his mentoring role, David\u2019s company even invited him to harness his student mentoring experience to help create his department\u2019s onboarding curriculum for college hires.<\/p>\n

Being able to work so closely with a mentor like David has been an incredible experience for Noah. \u201cIt\u2019s great to have someone to look up to,\u201d he says, noting that the experience has broadened his perspective beyond the narrower frame of reference he had when he first came to BU. Noah recommends that any alumni who are looking for ways to give back to the BU community consider mentoring because the time that alumni put into mentorship, even just a few minutes, can have an exponential effect on students\u2019 lives. In the words of this budding engineer, \u201cThe impact is astronomical.\u201d <\/p>\n

Join BU Connects<\/a><\/p>\n

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Have you made a meaningful connection through BU Connects? We want to hear about it!
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