Every student in the Fellows Program is matched with a mentor who is a community/business leader in Greensboro. The 2018 Fellows Cohort met their mentors at the Mentor Dinner last week, hosted by Cugino Forno and sponsored by Revolution Mill.
Mentors are invaluable to everyone – particularly to young professionals and recent grads looking to develop and advance their careers. We frequently hear stories about formative mentors who made an impact. This is especially true of the mentorships formed through the Fellows Program, which often last far beyond the duration of the summer. Below is a write-up by Joy Angbo, a Fellows Alum who recently graduated from Bennett College, on her relationship with her mentor.
The Impact of a Mentor – Joy Angbo, Fellows Alum 2017
In the summer of 2017, I entered into the Opportunity Greensboro Fellows Program as a Hospitality Intern for Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels. It was during this 10-week internship program where I was paired with Ms. Pat Stoenksen as my mentor. I remember our first meeting at Green Bean, where we exchanged stories of our lives and aspirations over a cup of coffee. Ms. Pat amazed me with all she had accomplished in her life – from travel to recently retiring from years of work in Hospice Care and so much more.
As my final year of undergrad started, I kept in contact with Ms. Pat through text messages – exchanging updates and so forth. My biggest piece of advice for mentors, mentees, and all who have a chance to be a part of this wonderful opportunity would be to take advantage of cultivating these relationships because the support will keep you grounded through the stress of the semester. Recently, I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science from Bennett College and one of my supporters at my graduation was Ms. Pat cheering me on, being present, and supporting me. It is amazing having a mentor who supports you and is only a call, text, or email away.
