Three soon-to-be graduates say mentorship defined their college journey, helping them overcome challenges and achieve their goals
Success is not about where you end up, it’s about people who have guided you along the way, said Lynice Fesolai as she reflected on the influence of her mentor. Fesolai, a senior double majoring in political science and Pacific Island Studies from Samoa, said, “My mentor helped me not only navigate my academic and personal struggles but also motivates me to better myself for the future.” She added qualities like active listening, patience and giving honest constructive feedback made her mentor exceptional.
Defining goals
Fesolai’s mentor, John Lidang, an alumnus and former peer mentor for the Political Science Peer Mentoring Network, made a significant impact on Fesolai, she said. She said Lidang helped her paint a picture of where she wanted to be after she graduated and reflect on her goals. “One of my goals is to get a political-related job that will contribute to my family and community in Samoa after graduation,” she explained.
Fesolai shared mentorship has been a cornerstone of her academic journey because her mentor has given her guidance, encourage- ment and new perspectives.
She advised freshmen to be outgoing when searching for a mentor. She added, “I was proactive. [I reached] out to [one of my] professors, [Troy Smith] and he referred me
to Lidang.” She said finding someone who genuinely cares and inspires you will make all the difference. Fesolai expressed gratitude for Lidang and his help with her classes and future.
Learning through peer support
Fryda García Salgado, a senior double majoring in political science and intercultural peacebuilding from Mexico, said her college mentorship was less traditional and more of a peer-to-peer support system. García Salgado said some of her friends from the mainland helped her with her classes by explaining difficult terms and concepts she did not understand. She explained, “They weren’t like, ‘I’m teaching you.’ It felt more like we were helping each other as if we were in the same boat.” Salgado said the peer support she received helped her have confidence in class and actively participate in discussions.
As a peer mentor for the Political Science Peer Mentoring Network, she explained approaching each mentoring session with a casual, friendly vibe is key to making mentees feel like friends. “I tried to make [the mentees] feel that I’m here to help, not like, ‘I know more than you,’ or ‘I’m better than you,’” she said.
García Salgado said her professors played a big role in her college mentorship, as she turned to them when she had questions or needed help starting a paper. She shared, “One big thing about BYUH is students enjoy a close connection with their professors and have the opportunity to engage with them during office hours.” She said she made the most of this close connection by discussing her career plans with her professors.
She encouraged her mentees to meet with professors because “many professors chose to come here despite [their] impressive achievements, like government publications or successful side projects. This shows they have the expertise to guide us."
Building confidence through mentorship
I-Tai Lin, a senior computer science major from Taiwan, said he didn’t have a mentor in college, but he had one when he did an internship at FamilySearch. He said having a mentor helped him expand his knowledge and his approaches to asking questions. “As an Asian, I used to pretend I knew things and avoided asking questions because I was shy. After my experience at FamilySearch, I started asking more questions,” he said.
Lin said his mentor always encouraged him to ask questions, saying, “The more questions you ask, the more you learn.” He said this saying helped him not be scared to ask for help. “Thanks to my mentor, I didn’t have to figure everything out on my own. He had solved many coding problems before, so his guidance saved me a lot of time,” Lin said.