Where the sidewalk (never) ends...

What a blessing to gather with a community of faculty members who care ardently about teaching on this beautiful winter day in northwest Arkansas.  Joined by two of my favorite people, Heather Nelson and Manny Mejia, I am delighted to share my thoughts on the need, opportunity, and domain of mentoring.  Heather and Manny have played an irreplaceable role in my personal and professional growth.  My friendship with Heather began a quarter of a century ago when she was a student in my marketing course.  Over the years, we have relied on each other for encouragement, support, and advice – our friendship so solid that I stretch to remember that we once were faculty & student.  Heather and I met Manny through the Arkansas Alumni Association where we volunteer each year to review and select scholarship recipients.  In five years, Manny has become family – someone that we both cherish, admire, and respect.  Such a unique opportunity to come together to talk about the need, opportunity, domain, and aspects of mentoring, brought to life through some stories along the way.

The need for mentoring increases.  Today’s college students were raised in an era of quick and unrealistic comparisons with others via social media.  A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health summarized the upward trends in stress, anxiety, isolation, and depression.  As these students arrive on campus, it presents an important opportunity to mentor, encourage, and impact others through our platform as faculty. However, mentoring is not limited to faculty-student relationships.  As higher education becomes more complex and challenging, both faculty and staff alike can benefit from mentoring relationships.  Indeed, the three faculty silos of teaching-research-service have grown in expectations, often creating work-related stress.  While I would maintain that we have the world’s best job, that doesn’t mean that it is stress-free or without challenges. Mentoring helps in even the best of situations.

When I first began my job, I was anchored in that triad of teaching, research, and service.  I didn’t understand, nor fully utilize, the platform available to me.  Although I had watched my parents and grandparents solidly serve their communities, I didn’t understand that my job offered me the same opportunity.  But in 1991 when I joined the UA faculty, I was able to begin putting to use the love my parents and grandparents had poured into me and others.  Students like Jesse Lane have invested in me, sharing with me the impact they perceive me to have on their lives.  Watching our own four kids make their way through college, I have become even more aware of the impact that a faculty member can have.  And standing on the stage at the UA Winter Symposium, side by side with Heather and Manny, the impact is strongly felt.

In a recent article on Walton Insights, my colleagues and I delineated six aspects of good mentoring. No matter what the situation or relationship, these six pillars serve as solid reminders of the promise and challenges of mentoring. The complete article, titled HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF MENTORING, can be found at: https://walton.uark.edu/insights/good-mentor.php

The main part of our presentation centers on storytelling, Heather and I meeting over a quarter of a century ago and the tangled ways that our lives have become intertwined over the years.  Little did I imagine all those years ago that a student of mine would become such an integral and important friend.  In sharing the platform with Heather, I am reminded of the countless phone calls, emails, texts, and conversations as we both navigate life.  What started as a casual interaction in the classroom has grown to an irreplaceable source of support, comfort, and encouragement. Similarly, Heather and I cherish Manny and all that he represents.  His story is not mine to tell in these pages – it is one that we will leave for him to share – but it is one that impacts Heather and me daily.  Last April, I had the blessing of sharing some remarks about Manny.  In truth, they weren’t just about Manny but also represent the promise of mentoring and the benefits for ALL involved.  As my closing words at the April event state...I believe it sums up the impact of Manny to say that we now hold his name synonymous with all that he stands for, the promise that he represents, and the fulfillment of his promise through his intentional and generous actions of the last four years. When we gather in the Alumni House to do scholarship reviews each year, the question has now become: "have you found another Manny yet?". The truth is two-fold. There are many Mannys out there that deserve support. At the same time, there is only one Manny.

Mentoring is needed. Mentoring is an opportunity we can’t pass up.  And, for me, mentoring is where I find much of my joy.  The benefits are boundless and are etched in stone for everyone in the relationship – much like our Senior Walk will forever hold the names of those that passed through our campus on their life journey.

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Molly Rapert is an Associate Professor at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. The content for her senior-level Marketing Management course is chosen by an advisory board of 15 executives who contribute articles, ideas, projects, and assignments. Follow the course instagram @mollyrapert #thisishowweteach #BeEpic