Michael Daley, Rice High School Class of 2003 and SSP alumnus, spoke to us about his journey and mentorship. Michael met his sponsor and mentor, Jimmy Dunne, at 14 years old. “When I first met Jimmy, it was the first and last time I ever met him with a beard,” Michael recalls, laughing.
He says at first their relationship was simply about getting to know each other. Jimmy wanted to know about his background, his interests, and his study habits. After establishing that foundation, Jimmy became intentional with his guidance. “He would ask, ‘what are some short-term and long-term goals, and how do we get there?’”
Michael remembers Jimmy’s encouragement to work hard. “He was always challenging me to be the best version of me – in regard to school, as a human being.” What Michael highlights about the unique nature of Jimmy’s mentorship is that he did not give him answers to life’s many questions, but always guided him to understand how to make decisions for himself. “I was able to take his wisdom and be the best version of me every day,” Michael says.
Jimmy served as a mentor academically and in goal setting, but also welcomed Michael into his family. Michael recalls the first time he met his family and how meaningful it was to see how genuine Jimmy truly is. Michael appreciates having the chance to see Jimmy in so many different contexts in order to understand the full breadth of his mentor’s life. Eventually, as they got to know each other better, Michael even spent holidays with Jimmy and his family.
Still now, some 20 years later, they are in contact. When we at SSP kick off mentorships, we are hoping they all wind up as long-lasting and valuable. Michael says, “He was like a big brother, a father figure . . . my role model.” When Michael visits Florida, he makes sure to visit Jimmy and his wife, and even still spends time with his kids.
Mentorship as a concept was not limited to Jimmy. In fact, Michael notes how important it was that Jimmy, with the permission of his guardians, introduced him to relevant professionals. If Michael was interested in an industry he otherwise was not exposed to, Jimmy was quick to set up calls with anyone who may be able to help guide him.
Michael also found mentorship with the principal at Rice, a man named Orlando Goldberg, who reminded Michael and his peers of the vital nature of civil rights and “about how we need to be the change, every single day.” Michael says, “His words would move anyone. I think he touched a lot of lives.” Local or global, civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., have inspired Michael to continue the cycle of opportunity in his community.
Michael was valedictorian of his high school, went on to Iona University, and is now a finance engineer at Bloomberg. He is intentional about giving back to programs he believes will help others. “I also go back to my neighborhood and encourage kids in similar situations to stay the course,” he says. Michael does not simply give time to one program, but to many in his neighborhood, like Meals on Wheels, and he finds ways to implement the lessons he’s learned in mentorship wherever he is providing support. He makes sure to openly discuss where to grow our education system as well. He says, “There are thousands of kids who need us.”
