Mentoring Month
By: Pat Donahue
January needs a better rep.
Yes, the cold weather and the dark nights have us longing for Spring, yet the first month of the year has events that renew hope.
Celebrating a new year and the resolution to do better by ourselves and others.
Honoring the civil rights leadership and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
And National Mentoring Month.
What exactly is mentoring?
According to the Indiana University Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership Development, a mentor is a special kind of helper who works with others in a positive, constructive way so that both mentor and protégé have the potential to grow through the relationship.
Mentors can be parents, teachers, coaches, ministers, fellow students, and academic and career advisors.
Mentors build trust and model professional behavior so their mentee can grow their strengths.
Mentorship is a learning partnership between an expert and a novice.
From a career planning perspective, mentors can be professors in your chosen field, leaders in student organizations, IU alumni, and internship supervisors.
Which areas of your life need mentoring? In what aspect of your life do you want to grow?
Academic? Personal? Social? Leadership? Career? Cultural?
IUB has plenty of resources to help you fulfill your potential, but the university is so large, you need a guide to help you navigate where you want to go.
Your guides can be professors, academic advisors, resident assistants, peers, career coaches and other college administration professionals.
They will refer you to the campus resources that best fit your unique needs so you can fulfill your potential.
For additional information, be sure and check out the Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership Development’s website: http://www.indiana.edu/~omsld/#home
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You can always schedule an appointment with your assigned Career Advisor to talk about your part-time job search, internship search and help with building your resume. You will find their information listed in your MYJOBS account. Students who have questions about the part-time job search can also come to drop-in advising at the Career Development Center (625 North Jordan) from 11-3PM, every Friday.