Download Region VI Mentoring Plan

NYSFAAA
Region VI Mentoring Plan
Presented by:
Angelica Esparza – Academic Finance
Corporation (AFC)
Melanie Williams-Bethea – Teachers
College, Columbia University
Mentoring can HELP!
• Does your day end
like this?
• Is this your last
memory of the
week?
Background
• “The most satisfying thing in life is
to have been able to give a large part
of one’s self to others.”
Pierre Teilhard DeChardin, Summer 2003 Bally Total Fitness
• We do not often think about it, but
we are often mentoring as parents,
friends, supervisors, and colleagues.
Mentoring
A Mentor is:
• A trusted counselor or guide, tutor
or coach
• A relationship in which a person with
experience and wisdom guides
another person both personally and
professionally
Mentoring
There are many kinds of mentor(s):
• Elder or more experienced person
• Role models
• Long term mentors
• Short term mentors
• Peer mentors
• Co-Mentors
What Mentors Do
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Offer challenging ideas
Help build self-confidence
Create a support system for the mentee
Confront negative behaviors and attitudes
Teach by example
Provide growth experiences
Explain how the FA Industry works
Attributes of
Successful Mentor
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Energy and has Interpersonal skills
Dependable and a Positive Role Model
Self-Confidence and Leadership
Sense of Humor
Empathetic
Open minded
Committed
Characteristics of
Successful Mentor
• Role Model
– A model for civil and appropriate behavior and
attitudes
– Someone that people admire or want to be like
– Has qualities that you desire for yourself
– Expands your perspective
• Teacher
– Helps to acquire knowledge, information, or
skills
– Demonstrates how to do things
Characteristics of
Successful Mentor
• Support
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Boosts your self-esteem
Supports your efforts
Listens to your ideas and concerns
Expresses belief in your abilities and provides
constructive criticism when necessary
• Resource
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Provides opportunities to try new things
Introduces you to new people, places, interests or ideas
Encourages you to approach other people as resources
Suggests new sources of information
Mentoring - Starting the
Process
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Keep expectations realistic
Rome was not built in a day
Keep the “door” open
Check-in with the person often
Get to know each other
Sometimes it is not labeled “mentoring”
Sometimes it is a “relationship”
Schedule for Mentoring
• In the beginning, can be more
informal
• If helpful, talk more often
• Conversation allows for more latitude
of discussion
• Do it on a regular basis; sometimes
difficult to find the right time
Mentoring – The Process
• Most important – Development of
“Trust” and Confidentiality
• Learning to “Trust”
• Developing a relationship
• Establishing a relationship
As a Mentor
• Goals – high level of trust
• In any relationship – first trust, then
friendship
• Phone versus e-mail
• Imperative – respect other’s opinion
• Slowly versus Quickly
As a Mentor
• Maintain a steady presence
• Be careful not to be judgmental
• Try to be available
• Stay involved in organizational activities
• These activities create opportunities for
someone to ask your opinion
As a Mentor –
Some Hints
• Don’t be afraid to be a mentor. Any level of
professional can be a mentor.
• Professional versus Personal issues
• Clarify expectations
• Are there time limits?
• Praise and Criticism
• Be willing to provide support despite our
differences
Region VI
Mentoring Plan
• Recruit Mentors from various fields
within the Financial Aid Industry:
– Directors, Administrators, Clerical staff from
both Undergraduate and Graduate schools
– SUNY
– CUNY
– Vendors (e/g: lenders/guarantors/servicers)
Recruitment Plan for
Mentors
• Reach out to NYSFAAA membership
– Create awareness at the FA Management level within the
office so that both Mentors and Mentees are
encouraged to actively participate
– Utilize free resources for continuous
outreach/communication such as Facebook
– Utilize industry resources for continuous
outreach/communication such as LIST-SERVs
– Schedule actual meetings around regional meetings and
conferences
Recruitment Plan for
Mentees
• Reach out to NYSFAAA members < 3 yrs or
less
– Reach out to last 3 years NYSFAAA Novice Graduates
– Create awareness at the FA Management level within the
office so that both Mentors and Mentees are
encouraged to actively participate
– Utilize free resources for outreach such as Facebook
– Utilize industry resources to communicate such as LISTSERVs
– Schedule personal meetings around regional meetings
and conferences
Needs Assessment
• Survey membership on what they
would like to "get out" of the
Mentoring relationship as both a
Mentor and a Mentee.
• Tailor program based on survey
feedback.
Personal Experiences
• All of us have at least one person who has
impacted us professionally. We may not
necessarily call that person our “mentor”
but in fact that is exactly the role that
person has played in the story of your life.
• Some of us may still call on that person for
advice, guidance, support, even
constructive criticism from time to time.
Next Steps…
Get a Mentor!
Become a Mentor!
Get a Mentor or Become a
Mentor
• Mentoring can help
make each day a
“better one”!
• You can use a
mentor!
• Be a mentor!
Special Thanks to our
Mentor Volunteers SO FAR…
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Chris Constable
Brian Ghanoo
Ursula Duran
Angelica Esparza
Paula Gregorio
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Howard Leslie
Arline Scotto
Jenn Traumann
Melanie Williams
Erin Zagaski
Time Line
• Tri-Regional Meeting May 2009
AND
• Wear your Mentoring BUTTON!
Q & A Time
Thank you 
Angelica Esparza
[email protected]
631-838-8589
Melanie Williams
[email protected]
212-678-3702