When you serve as a mentor, you can pass on your knowledge, wisdom and advice to students as they learn and grow. More than that, it also allows you to give back to the educational institution that helped you get to where you are today. It speaks volumes about your character and can even help you grow and develop as a leader and professional.

Mentorship is something that’s valuable both ways. More than the good feeling you get from teaching and encouraging someone your junior, that individual is gaining access to a wealth of understanding and experience. Mentees often go on to do big things, thanks in part to the person who took time to be their mentor. They may even go on to become a mentor themselves—creating a legacy of giving back.

How mentoring benefits students

For students, having a mentor brings with it numerous, long-lasting benefits. Let’s take a look at five ways Ripon students benefit from mentorship:

1. Students gain practical, applicable advice that might not be taught in the classroom, which can be applied throughout their personal and future professional lives. They’ll enter college or the job force a leg up on pure classroom learners.
2. Mentorship creates a bond that may benefit everything from professional networking to personal growth—especially at a pivotal time in a high school student’s life. A mentor is a guide for students facing uncertainty in their future and someone on whom they can rely.
3. Mentees get one-on-one attention that helps them to better understand and retain information, while also connecting that knowledge to classroom lessons. They’ll benefit from more focused learning and a stronger grasp on content.
4. Students get a better understanding of real-world expectations and applications, direct from someone who has experienced them firsthand. This necessary dose of reality will shape their understanding of the world outside the classroom.
5. Mentorship is free! It affords students access to a crucial resource for development that’s not hidden behind a financial barrier. For students unable to afford tutoring or those disadvantaged by a lack of available programs, mentoring is an incredibly valuable experience.

Serving as a mentor

For mentors, being able to pass along wisdom to a younger generation is a truly gratifying experience. We invite you to sign up as a volunteer and see for yourself the profound effect mentorship can have on a student.