I've had the privilege of having many role models and mentors in my life over the last four years. Some of them are from church and some from school or professional settings but all of them have given me so much valuable development and advice. 

Receiving Feedback: This seems like a no duh but I truly have received a lot of feedback from my mentors— depending on who they are to me, it ranges from personal advice like resolving relational conflict to professional advice like how to tweak my resume. Regardless of its nature, I have learned to humble myself and accept all feedback knowing my mentors always have my best interest in mind and they never mean to tear me down, but build me up. Being able to hear what they're saying and actually implement their advice has helped me grow spiritually, academically, professionally, and emotionally.   

Self-Development: Building off of receiving feedback, I've really been able to develop from the feedback I've gotten from my mentors. Whether that's a practical skill like interviewing or something like having tough conversations with friends and roommates, I've been able to really learn and grow from my mentors' advice and guidance. 

Initiative: The CELE's definition of initiative is "taking charge of a situation" but in my experience, I've developed more initiative in reaching out for help. Having mentors often puts the ball in my court to reach out and ask for help. At first, I didn't want to reach out for fear of being a nuisance or bothering them with small things, but one mentor pointed out that there's no point in having a mentor if you're never going to talk to them or have a real relationship with them. Thus, I've learned over time to be okay with taking the initiative to set up a mentorship meeting (usually a quick text asking if they're free for lunch sometime) and coming prepared with something I want to discuss with them. 

From my freshman year to now, the Class of 2021 has been mentoring me. Whether it was helping me adjust to UW as a freshman to now helping me get ready to adjust to post-grad life, they have all been older sister figures in my life. I consider them to be mentors to me too, as I learn a lot from them.

Not pictured: professional mentors, professors I consider mentors, and other "adult" figures in my life who give me guidance that I just don't have pictures with. Shoutout to Amye (my professional mentor), Mealyn & Bre (my internship mentors), and Marty (my marketing professor/boss/mentor). 

Conversely, I've also had the privilege of being a mentor to underclassmen these last two years. These have been through formal programs like the Asian Business Student Association Executive Mentorship program and the Undergraduate Business Council Peer-to-Peer Mentorship program, in church contexts by leading small groups for the freshmen and the sophomores, and in informal ways through just being a helpful upperclassman willing to act as a mentor for underclassmen in need (typically underclassmen I know from one of the RSOs I'm in that are looking to get into Foster). It was hard to classify this activity since my mentoring has so many forms. However, they all share similar lessons learned and competencies. 

Mentoring: Another "no duh" sounding competency, but I've really gotten to step into a role of not only having expertise but being able to share it. Having a few extra years of critical development (from my mentors) has given me a lot of wisdom to pass on to underclassmen, from registration tips, networking advice, or spiritual guidance. The definition of this competency includes challenging individuals to reach their potential, which I think is something I had little experience in prior to all of these mentor experiences. Having so many underclassmen in my life has also enriched my personal life and given me people to really care about.  

Helping Others: I'd like to think I was pretty good at this even prior to college, but really getting to dive deeper into this notion of helping others when you don't have any personal stake in the outcome has helped me mature whether it was helping freshmen feel less stress by preparing over 100 care packages for them during finals to holding mock interviews or reviewing students' practice Writing Skills Assessment essays (a Foster application requirement). I have no personal stake in underclassmen's ability to do well in school or get into their major, but being able to help in any way I can is a way of passing on the kindness I was shown. 

Providing Feedback: Through these experiences, I've been able to also give a lot of feedback. It's forced me to practice both my delivery and my intention behind the feedback. Being able to help them improve themselves and set themselves up for success is something I would have only gotten to see by giving them feedback.