Mentor Quotes

The following are actual quotes from mentors who have participated in previous MentorNet programs:

• "Having to describe what you do helps you reflect on why you think it's important and fun. I also found it helpful in thinking about the qualities I was looking for in new employees in my company."

• "Watching/helping others allows me to see where I have been. It helps me to reflect on my past to better design my future."

• "One's ability to develop others is something my company rates us on, this opportunity helps my ability to do that."

• "I've always loved mentoring or tutoring...Since I've had a full-time job, I don't seem to have the time to do that sort of thing. Email, however, is something I do have time for, since it removes all of the scheduling problems. And I've always felt that email is a unique means of communication, well suited to this sort of thing. This program is perfect for me."

• "I missed being able to draw a diagram or open a book together. I had to work a little harder in email. But that just made me explain things better. Email is very convenient, I can send it off in the middle of the night... I found it very rewarding -- I'm sure I got as much out of it as she did."

• "I am finding that she is very direct about asking questions, and we have a lively email exchange going! She tells me that I am helping her quite a bit...and, she is also helping me to understand some of the current thinking about women getting a Ph.D."

• "I'm finding this a very interesting experience. I hope [my student] is getting as much out of this as I am; I like to hear what it's like to be a college student again, unsure about what the future will be."

• "In the end I was glad I was paired with a very junior student. We don't have much outreach for young women early on in their education, when they're making critical choices. It's great to help them calibrate what their expectations should be."

• "It's so rewarding, yet so painless."