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Introduction
Introduction
Beginning my sophomore year, I was an Academic Mentor with the Bepko Learning Center for two semesters in BUS‑X100 and BUS‑X105, the introductory business administration courses for both regular and Honors students. I was selected for this position because I had excelled in the course myself and demonstrated the leadership qualities needed to support first‑year students. Before the semester began, I completed summer training, online modules, and an in‑person orientation that prepared me to guide students academically and personally. Each semester, mentors were also required to take a mentor‑development course. During my second semester, I completed an Honors Contract that allowed me to go beyond my assigned responsibilities. Through that project, I researched best practices in mentoring, created a presentation, and wrote a personal reflection on how the experience strengthened my leadership and communication skills.
In the review sessions, I created weekly slide decks that blended lecture content with icebreakers, games, and practice quizzes to help students feel confident and prepared. Mentoring quickly became one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience. Supporting students, watching them grow, and seeing their excitement when they succeeded on exams reminded me why I enjoy helping others. This role helped develop my presentation skills, my identity as a leader, and deepened my commitment to fostering community and academic success.
Growth, Skills, & Development
Being an Academic Mentor allowed me to develop a wide range of professional skills that have continued to shape my academic, personal, and career growth. One of the most significant areas of development was my ability to present information clearly and confidently. Creating weekly slide decks, leading review sessions, and facilitating discussions strengthened my public‑speaking skills and helped me learn how to communicate complex ideas in a way that students could easily understand. These presentation skills have directly supported me in upper‑level business courses and in my current HR internship, where I regularly lead trainings and explain processes to new employees.
Another major skill I gained was the ability to build rapport to connect with students. Mentoring required me to create an inclusive environment where students felt comfortable asking questions, participating in activities, and sharing their challenges. Through my Honors Contract, I explored the deeper purpose of mentoring and learned how impactful a supportive mentor can be in someone’s academic journey. I also studied a variety of learning strategies and used them to tailor review sessions to different learning preferences. This experience has been especially valuable in my internship, where understanding how people learn best helps me train others effectively.
I also strengthened a few career competencies, including leadership, communication, teamwork, and adaptability. Facilitating group activities taught me how to encourage participation and ensure that every voice was included. Managing weekly responsibilities while balancing coursework improved my time‑management and organizational skills. Most importantly, mentoring taught me how to guide others with patience, empathy, and clarity. These qualities are essential in the HR field I am entering after graduation.
Bus- X 100 Session 6.pdf
Reflection
Becoming an Academic Mentor allowed me to grow in ways I didn’t fully expect. At first, I was focused on doing the job well, creating slides, leading sessions, and helping students understand the material. But over time, I realized the experience was shaping me just as much as I was supporting them. Standing in front of a room every week forced me to become more confident in my voice, not just as a presenter but as someone others looked to for guidance. I learned how to read a room, adjust my approach, and communicate in a way that made people feel comfortable. Completing my Honors Contract deepened that growth even more. It made me slow down and think about what mentoring really means, how being present, patient, and intentional can change someone’s academic experience.
I learned quickly that students don’t all learn the same way, and that part of being a good mentor is meeting them where they are. Figuring out how to tailor review sessions, encourage participation, and create a space where everyone felt included helped me develop empathy, adaptability, and leadership in a very real way. Those lessons have followed me into my HR internship, where I now train others and pay attention to how they learn best. I realized that mentoring wasn’t just about helping students pass a class, it was about learning how to support others with patience and genuine care. It helped me grow into someone who leads with intention and understands the impact of showing up for people.
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