I believe that my mentor Zakiya Tanner deserves the Mentor of the Year Award. She is the perfect example of what a mentor should be a caring, guiding and rewarding person. She is the type of person who will lift you up when you are down and go out of her way to be there for you. I was on the soccer team and she made an effort to come to my games. She cheered me on, and would often stop by many times during the first semester. Not only is she my mentor she has become my friend. I have never met a more selfless person whose complete trust in God has inspired me to try to be a better person. The things that I am saying here do not even do her justice, and I doubt she would say she has done anything special. But to me whether she gets the award or not doesn’t matter just that she knows what a good person she is and how much she has helped me to be a better person.
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I could also count on a phone call from Amy before each weekend activity to make sure I was coming and to have someone to walk with so I didn’t feel awkward and alone. It was hard to get the whole mentor group to come to an event, but Amy tried her hardest and wasn’t afraid to make phone calls and knock on doors to get her mentees out and about. After Orientation Weekend, Amy kept in contact with her mentees by organizing little study groups the night before Responsible Self tests. I am confident that if I ever needed anything, she would be there to help me.
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My mentor was Matt Shepard. He did everything possible to ensure that I was prepared for my transition to college. I was in contact with him the whole summer before I came, and he even came to the store where I worked to meet me. I sent him so many e-mails filled with questions that ranged from “What is freshman music theory like?” to “Does my room have carpet?” He must have thought that some of the questions were silly, but he never said so, and he answered each on promptly and to my satisfaction. The first day I was on campus, everything was so new and scary, but he was one of the first people I saw. He welcomed me to my new home, and just being with a familiar person after my parents left was wonderful. He was not afraid to hang out with me even when all of his friends were around. He always welcomed me into any conversation. Those first activities on the quad would have been very scary without having a familiar face to look for. I still see Matt all of the time, and occasionally he will ask how his mentee is doing. He was a great mentor, and I could go on about it all day. He deserves the mentor of the year award more than anyone I’ve heard about.
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Erin wasn’t the type of mentor that always called once a week, asking how I was doing constantly (which I didn’t expect) or other notable things that really stand out in terms of distinction or fame, but because of her little gestures, I feel that they are justifying and compelling reasons for her to get this award. A few of those things included: seeing her on campus and saying hello (all the time), listening to my speech one time and giving me suggestions (she’s a communications major), putting little things in my mailbox around the holidays, wishing me Merry Christmas or whatever the holiday was, and just being a phone call away. In addition, I always knew that I could count on someone if I was ever in a bind; I found that out on the first day I got here when she talked to me alone for 20-30 minutes, welcoming me. So, I am nominating Erin, because I think her little gestures of kindness, etc, that went a long way in my first year. She was in fact wonderful, and thus should be recognized.
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I am writing to tell you who IS the mentor of the year. Her name is Joy Guthrie, and I can’t begin to tell you how great she was and still is. I first talked to Joy sometime last summer. She clowned around on the phone to help me feel comfortable, her being a big sophomore and all…I talked to Joy many times over the summer; four or five, I believe. I know that she had to call many more times than that to get a hold of me! She answered all my questions and asked many about me. I feel like I was already good friends with Joy before I came to Jewell.
When I finally arrived at Jewell, I was pleased to find a poster of my name and a container of candy by my door. My favorite candies were all there, and I am proud to say that the container now functions as my shampoo/soap holder for the shower. Joy really made our mentor group close, and I know that several friendships came out of there. To be honest, Adventure Day wasn’t my favorite but Joy made it bearable.
Joy really helped me when school started, and she continues to help. She has checked up on me, talked to me in the halls, and she even let me sit by her at lunch! I am only joking, for she welcomed me to sit with both her and her friends. Joy has given me rides to Wal-Mart, taken us to CiCi’s and introduced me to new friends. Joy is one of the best, if not the best, mentors at Jewell. She is not only my mentor, but a good friend as well.
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She did a wonderful job and made my adjustment at Jewell a much smoother process. One of the biggest things she did for me was to call me up and see if I would like to hand out before the school year started. Simply coming up here and meeting some people from the school did a lot to calm my nerves. On top of that, she had different times during the year of getting together as a group to do something and she also would send encouraging cards. She did a wonderful job and I greatly appreciate her!
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My mentor has been there for our group before school began until now, and when I see him he always asks how school and classes and life are going. To have someone who cares about you still, so long after their official job is over is to me what makes them a good friend and in this case mentor as well.
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My mentor was one of the first “real” students that I got to know at William Jewell. As someone who at times has trouble getting to know people quickly, it was a huge relief to immediately have someone that I could ask questions and use as a resource. While I’m sure that there were times that she’d have rather been doing things other than letting this kind of quiet, slightly socially awkward first year student follow her around, she never complained, and was a great help to me throughout my first year. Without her help, I doubt that I would have adapted as well and as quickly to the world of William Jewell College. She was an excellent mentor—one who I believe is worthy of the title of Mentor of the Year.
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From the first time I met her, she was all smiles and made us all feel important. She acted like she loved her job and did not act like it was a hassle or pain, but made it fun! She was there for us when we were homesick and let me cry with her. She made sure we knew that we could call her anytime…day or night! She answered all questions and if for some reason she did not know, she went out of her way to find an answer! She is genuine and amazing!
