Danielle’s Story

Please describe your background i.e. include your major, class year, etc.

During my high school tenure, I had many ideas of possible professions. With many options, it can be very difficult to figure out the best option. I spent four years trying to figure out where I wanted to go with my career and life. After moving through a variety of different jobs, I finally decided that it was time to get a college education to achieve many of my goals. With that in mind, I enrolled in college and start this January as a freshman with the goal of earning an associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.

What type of advice did you seek out from your mentor?

At first, I expected to hear about how to write an enticing resume and make business cards. After a few chats with Joseph, I learned he had much more advice to offer. As he has already experienced the completion a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, Joseph and I strongly agreed about the goal to have “students present themselves professionally online, specifically through social media, so that headhunters and talent scouts will find students before they graduate”. He also relayed great stories and tips about job fairs and professional conferences.

How has this helped you?

The advice from Joseph has been very beneficial for me in numerous ways.

• Courage – I find myself more positive about my future. The confidence boost has allowed me to take steps to achieve my dreams that I previously would not have done. With the encouragement of a mentor, I am now much more willing to seek out additional advice from other professionals and am no longer feeling timid. My perspective has transformed from worry to excitement about my own potential.
• Focus – I’ve become much more attentive to finding new opportunities and seeking help. Joseph frequently sends excellent emails on finding passion, organizational skills and interview tips. I find this useful because it keeps me accountable to respond with thought provoking feedback. We also chat every Saturday to recount our accomplishments of the week and discuss anything new that has happened.
• Stress relief – I know if I’m having a tough week, Joseph will listen to my concerns. I find it inspiring to be able to talk to someone about my struggles, finding a decent job to pay the bills while in school, and figuring out the motivation to actually use my twitter status. I’m much more relaxed to have Joseph hear my ideas and I am now excited to complete projects.

Would you recommend getting involved with StudentMentor.org to others?

I would absolutely recommend StudentMentor.org to other students or professionals. A mentor program would benefit many of my peers who are struggling. They are confused and concerned with coming into the professional world. The transition into adulthood is very challenging and having a designated mentor to relieve stress and to share advice helps.