Spirit of mentorship serves as ‘a source of strength’ for VCU community

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Latisha Smart's advocacy for National Mentoring Month stems from her own experience with being mentored, not in a formal long-term scenario, but in a way that impacted her life and her career.

A decade ago, as Smart was completing a fellowship after graduate school, an alum from her previous college connected her to a job opportunity at Virginia Commonwealth University. The alum helped Smart prepare her résumé and presentation, and Smart was hired in Career Services as assistant director of career and industry advising.

"Mentorship doesn't have to be formal," Smart said. "It can be a connection that serves as a mentor, as in my case."

Today, Smart's current role at VCU - senior director of alumni career and personal development in Alumni Relations - puts her among a wide-ranging group of professionals who collectively build the spirit of mentorship across VCU's campuses.

Hali Massey, professional development coordinator at VCU Graduate School, was instrumental in bringing together Alumni Relations and other VCU units to collaborate during National Mentoring Month.

"We talk about the importance of mentorship across the span of higher education," she said, so that initiatives that often are associated with the undergraduate experience are emphasized as well for graduate students - and alums.

In her work, Smart introduces students interested in mentoring to alums through VCU Link, the university's online community for building relationships.

"These are life connections to link students with alumni, no matter where they are in the world or in their field," she said. "It gives alumni the chance to give back and share what they have learned."

Mentorship is at the heart of a "transformative graduate education," said Jeffery L. Wilson, Ph.D., associate dean of the Graduate School, which has implemented the Graduate Student/Advisor Compact to strengthen its commitment.

"It ensures shared expectations and open communication," he said. "We also launched our inaugural Faculty Mentoring Awards to recognize those who exemplify outstanding guidance."

And to encourage young scholars, the Graduate School Mentoring Program supports undergraduate students by pairing them with a graduate student studying within the field they hope to go into.

"Within the mentoring relationship, they receive support and professional development on how to apply to graduate school and resources from the Graduate School," said Erin Burke Brown, Ph.D., its director of professional development.

Students are connected to campus resources that include the Writing Center, McNair Scholars Program and National Scholarship Office.

"We do our best to ensure that each student receives a dynamic and personalized experience that is tailored to what they need," Brown said.

Among the groups focusing on mentorship is You First at VCU, a program for first-generation students that is based in the division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success. The duties of student success coach Zisu Liao include one-on-one mentoring, helping students with everything from time management to career planning.

"Mentoring is beneficial because it gives these students a constant point of contact on campus, to help them manage the transition to student life," she said. "We want them to have a sense of support while they are building confidence."

Studies and data show that mentoring helps students "stay active and more engaged on campus, have higher grades and stay in school longer," Liao said.

Elizabeth S. Bambacus, Ph.D., director of first-generation student experience, said students aren't the only beneficiaries of mentorship - and that its spirit extends far beyond any calendar month.

"I tell the mentors that the program is as much for them as it is for their mentees," she said. "It gives them a community of peers who care about helping others, an opportunity to develop their leadership skills, and a welcoming space where they know they have a source of strength in common with each other."