Happy Monday Scholars!

Get ready because this blog is about a topic that you’ll hear me harp on often—mentors. I cannot overemphasize how important it is for all students—high school, college, graduate, vocational, professional, whatever—to find a good mentor. But if you don’t believe me, let’s consult some research.

In 2014 Gallup conducted a study (the largest of its kind at the time of publication) on 30,000 college graduates’ well-being and satisfaction with the decisions they made while in college. The results indicated that one of the most important contributors to a graduates’ long term success was whether they had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals. Grads who had this kind of mentor were more likely to report being engaged in their work and thriving in their overall well-being. Don’t we all want that??  Since the Gallup study was published, many studies have supported the conclusion that mentors can dramatically improve students’ outcomes.  And hey, that kind of seems like common sense anyway, right?  

I can personally attest to the fact that a good mentor can change your life. Shout out to the legendary race scholar and all around boss-lady Dr. Katheryn Russell-Brown for being my mentor, my advocate, my co-author, and I’m now proud to say, my friend. In fact, she was a major factor in why I decided not to leave my PhD program after I got my master’s degree (more on that in another post haha). I can quite literally say that her mentorship helped me to become Dr. Andrea Davis instead of Andrea Davis, M.A.

I know finding a mentor can seem like a daunting task. You don’t know who you will connect with or who might be interested in taking you under their wing. Or maybe you’re busy focusing on research, coursework, or extracurriculars. No matter what you have going on, it’s worth it to take time to find a mentor. It could be the best decision you make for your academic and career success.

Below is a link discussing the Gallup study. And don’t forget to check out our IG post on mentors .
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/05/06/gallup-surveys-graduates-gaugr e-whether-and-why-college-good-well-being

Dr. D.

What do you think?