In honor of National Mentoring Month, we are sharing some past interviews with current and former SSP mentors. They share their journeys through mentorship and how they've helped to make an impact on a student's life. From freshman year to senior year of high school, SSP mentors see their mentees flourish right before their eyes.
Are you interested in becoming a mentor yourself? Read below to learn more about the mentorship experience of Malabika, Jeanette, and Lora.
What does it mean to be a SSP mentor?
Malabika: “SSP is an amazing way to make a real impact in someone’s life at a very critical time when they may be needing support and a great way to broaden a young person’s world.”
Lora: "Xitlali was my first mentee, and she graduated in 2020, which means I began her mentorship in the fall of 2016. When she was younger, in sophomore and junior year, my mentoring was more about her academics as she was struggling in specific classes. I suggested getting more help at school by talking to teachers and reaching out to her guidance counselor. I would also sometimes call the counselor myself to see what was happening. Besides academics, I also gave her advice on social things like school dances. When she was on the fence about going, I told her to go for an hour to give it a chance and if you don’t like it, you can always leave. I reminded her that she could miss out on lots of interesting and fun opportunities to meet people."
Why did you become a SSP mentor?
Malabika: “I learned about SSP through Morgan Stanley, where I work. Morgan Stanley has always had senior leaders in Equities who have been very involved both in donating and in mentoring, so I first learned about SSP through an informational session at work, and I thought it would be a great way to give back as a young professional.”
What are some ways that you can help a student as a mentor?
Jeanette: “My mentee has a hard time with projects and meeting deadlines, so we work on time management. Ways we do this include making spreadsheets to organize workload and setting alerts on the phone. Initially, she was uncomfortable talking with the teachers, so I explained and motivated her to change her mindset and show those people at school that she cares. She has followed my advice and since then has received positive feedback from the school.”
Lora: "First off, it was amazing to see the difference in how my mentee, Xitali, transformed over those four years. The college process was challenging in its own ways during the pandemic. I would mentor over the phone and zoom to talk about the cost benefit analysis of pursuing a bachelor’s degree versus a specific concentration. Xitali wanted to pursue nursing, so we looked at great university names against more cost-efficient ones that would take her directly into a nursing program. When she got into nursing school, we would talk about how to continue with her academic success and the ways to help pay for the program."
How do you stay connected with your mentee?
Jeanette: “We met in person for the first time at the Botanical Gardens in New York. It was awesome to meet her face-to-face as well as meeting her mom. Meeting in person was more personable and made it easier to form a connection. Her mom works a lot and doesn’t always have the time to focus on Jade’s schoolwork, so that’s where I come into play.“
Malabika: “I was really excited to meet my mentee, Stephanie, and see how I could help broaden her experiences. I loved how open she was to try new things. I was also fairly sheltered growing up, so there were a lot of experiences I’d never had before graduating college. It was exciting for me as well to relive some things with her."
What fulfillment have you gained, and what does mentorship mean to you?
Lora: "I’ve been fulfilled knowing that my mentee has a sounding board if she wants to talk about something that’s tricky and she doesn’t want to go to her parents. It helps to have somebody that’s been through experiences their family hasn’t." Together we tried a hip-hop dance class, a cooking class at Eataly, a Japanese restaurants and other restaurants. Many times, either her sister or father would join us since she was very young and we wanted to make sure she could get home safe, so I got to get to know her family fairly well too.”
