Mentors enable student success by being a role model and guide. Most importantly, the mentor eyes student retention as his or her ultimate goal, recognizing that the challenges students face come from a variety of sources. They serve as a clearinghouse of information and resources. While a mentor often will not be an expert in all the areas in which a student may need aid, the mentor will help refer the student to those on- and off-campus programs available that might prove worthwhile. A mentor stays in contact with the student and follows up after giving advice to see if the student has gained from the referred resources what they needed or will help refer the student to a new program.
Most of us can look back in our lives and point to a few special people who believed in us. They were patient. They cared. They inspired greatness. It is important that youth today find a role model, a mentor.
The following is a list of important qualities that Mentors should have:
• Personal Commitment Mentors have a genuine desire to be a part of other people's lives, to help them with tough decisions, to see them become the best they can be. Mentors have to be invested in the mentoring relationship over the long haul, to be there long enough to make a difference.
• Respect for Individuals Mentors can't come with the attitude that their own ways are better or that student participants need to be rescued. Mentors who convey a sense of respect and equal dignity in the relationship win the trust of their partners and the privilege of being advisors to them.
• Ability to Listen Most people can find someone who will give advice or express opinions. It's much harder to find someone who will suspend his or her own judgment and really listen. Mentors often help simply by listening, asking thoughtful questions, and giving participants an opportunity to explore their own thoughts with a minimum of interference. When people feel accepted, they are more likely to ask for and respond to good ideas.
• Ability to Establish a Relationship Based on Trust The handling of sensitive information can be a delicate matter. The solidifying of the relationship between a mentor and his or her students relies heavily on the management of trust.
• Ability to See Solutions as well as Barriers Good mentors balance a realistic respect for the real and serious problems faced by their partners with an optimism about finding equally realistic solutions. They are able to make sense of a seeming jumble of issues and point out sensible alternatives.
• Flexibility and Openness Good mentors recognize that relationships take time to develop and that communication is a two-way street. They are willing to take time to get to know their partners, to learn new thing that are important to their partners, and even to be changed by their relationship.
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