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Courtney, a graduate of the School of Communication and digital marketing manager, and Djenaldbeth, a current master’s student in the Medill School of Journalism’s Integrated Marketing and Communications program, connected in April 2019 via the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program. Utilizing the full breadth of the program, Courtney has been a mentor, mentee, and mentor circle leader through the program. Read below to learn more about their mentorship experiences.

1. What motivated you to join the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program?

Courtney: I’ve always wanted to give back to my community and make some sort of impact. When I found the Northwestern Mentorship Program, I was excited about the level of personalization in the system that both mentors and mentees had for searching matches. While getting any type of guidance is great, I knew it would benefit not only myself but my mentee to have the opportunity to match with someone that he or she could relate to. Conversations and meetings are much more fruitful knowing that I can speak on experiences that can relate to hers. 

Djenaldbeth: Being new to the Chicago area, I wanted to connect with someone that had experience within the marketing/advertising industry. Since I was transitioning in, I knew I needed guidance and someone to seek advice and learn from.

 

2. What have you gained, person­ally and professionally, from being part of this program?

Courtney: Professionally I have gained an opportunity to better articulate the work that I do, as well as learn about different opportunities from my mentee. On the flip side, I’ve been able to talk through career challenges with my mentor and get his insight on how to navigate situations based on his experiences. Personally, I’ve gained a sense of fulfillment with being able to see Djenaldbeth flourish and make connections beyond myself. My tribe has also been willing to meet with my mentees and help them get additional perspectives. Each encounter has taught me something and overall the experience has been amazing.

Djenaldbeth: Professionally, I’ve gained connections that have helped to build my network—valuable connections that shaped the direction of my career path. Personally, I’ve gained perspective that has developed me as a person. Being a black woman, it’s sometimes difficult to navigate unfamiliar situations, and Courtney has showed me how empowering being who you are all the time is to my development. 

 

3. What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Courtney: The best career advice that I’ve received is to always be vocal about your goals and desires, more casually said, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.” Advocating for yourself is so important because no one else will do it. Although people are likely to be in your corner, it’s important to remember that it is business and people often can only do so much. Push for yourself and make your voice heard!

Djenaldbeth: The best career advice I ever received was to know your worth and never settle. This was not something Courtney said but what she exudes every day. Through conversation with her about her experiences in the industry, I constantly see how understanding what you provide fuels what you’re willing to do and not do. 

Alexandra (Alex), a graduate of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and founder of a college admissions counseling company, and Phoebe, a 2019 graduate of the School of Education and Social Policy, connected in November 2018 via the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program. Their formal relationship through the program ended a year and a half ago, but they are still connecting regularly and have formed a strong mentor-mentee relationship. Read below to learn more about their mentorship experiences.

1. What motivated you to join the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program?

Phoebe (mentee): When I joined the mentorship program, I was seeking out guidance from and connection with someone who has done the things in her career that I aspire to accomplish. [My mentor], Alex, definitely fits the bill. Alex has been a critical supporter for me through Northwestern, and especially now, as I navigate my first full-time role after graduating. It has been exciting to see how our relationship evolves over time as we come to know each other better. Currently, our time together is often spent reflecting on the world and our lives. 

Alex (mentor): Only after college did I really begin to value professional mentors in my life. I slightly regretted not seeking out more mentors when I was younger, but I tried to catch up early on in my career. I swallowed my pride and started asking for help, advice, and introductions. I realized I couldn't start a business (and be a functioning mother/friend/wife/adult) without support. I think we all need our "tribe," but too often our "go-it-alone" mentality keeps us from reaching our fullest potential. Because of the tremendous value I received from mentorship, I wanted to see if I had it in me to do the same for someone else.

 

2. What have you gained, person­ally and professionally, from being part of this program?

Phoebe: As an education consultant and wise sage, Alex has taught me so much. Alex is always excited to share the next big thing in her life, and she has served as an inspiration to me as I've seen her succeed in her career—time and time again (check out her self-published book by the way). Just having someone in my life who I admire that much is encouragement in and of itself. That being said, Alex has also provided me with professional development resources and connected me with her former colleagues, which has also been invaluable in my professional pursuits.

Alex: The other day, I was reading wisdom blurbs from Mr. Rogers (like you do), and one of them challenged me to take a moment and recollect those people in my life who really made me feel whole and at ease—you know, those people who have a way of making you feel heard and special and valued. I thought of mentors and role models throughout my life, most of whom are older women, but then I also thought of Phoebe, my NU mentee. Although I am technically her mentor, she is really mentoring me in ways she may not realize. There is something oddly therapeutic about mentoring someone else—by sharing advice out loud, I think we hear our own advice and drink our own medicine. 

 

3. What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Phoebe: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Alex: You can do it all! Just not all at the same time

Chelsea Hayes, the CEO and principal consultant of an executive coaching and training firm, and Michelle Madigan, a producer at Dateline NBC and NBC News, have connected both professionally and personally since matching via the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program. Read below to learn more about their mentorship experiences.

1. What motivated you to join the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program?

Madigan: Northwestern was incredibly influential in launching my career. I make it a priority to help students and alumni discover their own paths to success. As a mentor, I hope to support and motivate that journey.

Hayes: I am a CEO, and of course, we all have more learning to do, but owning my own company means it’s not always easy to get feedback. I was excited about meeting another Wildcat near me who had different experiences than me. Best. Decision. Ever. After matching, we connected for a quick walk and almost instantly felt like we had known each other forever. I knew we were mean to be a pair! Michelle works about 10 minutes from my house so I began to meet her during lunch breaks just to walk and talk.

2. What have you gained, person­ally and professionally, from being part of this program?

Madigan: The Northwestern Network Mentorship Program allows me to feel connected, challenged and inspired. I often learn valuable lessons from my mentees that shape my own priorities and ambitions.

Hayes: Personally, I've gained a lifelong friend and someone I trust. I know Michelle wants the absolute best for me. Professionally, our relationship has certainly opened doors, but I must say, the most rewarding part is talking about the more personal things like family and even best practices for laundry! We realize that every single pair may not be as lucky as us with such a quick, organic connection, but we are certainly hoping Wildcats everywhere give it a try.

3. What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Madigan: If you do what you love, you’ll love what you do.

Hayes: Go after exactly what you want. Not what you think you can get. If you pursue it with a posture of learning, hard work, and integrity, you will get it.

Matsumura, a partner with Sagence, Inc., a management advisory firm, not only mentored Arenson, but through introductions to his network, helped Arenson secure his first job out of graduate school as an associate data engineer at Sagence, Inc. Find out more about the importance of networking and taking risks.

1. What motivated you to join the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program?

Alan: I had two strong motivations to join the Northwestern Network. First, throughout my life, virtually every important decision that I have made well was guided or influenced through my relationship with my mentors. Understanding this made me seek channels where I might be able to offer some of my experiences or thoughts with young professionals that may be seeking different perspectives.

Second, when I attended Northwestern, I often wished that I could learn more about life after college. Like many of my peers when I attended, a college education was simply the natural next step for an 18-year-old. I did not fully appreciate the opportunities and risks that were available to me, both at Northwestern and in the job market.

I wanted to make myself available for anyone who might have the types of questions that I had when I attended Northwestern and help them understand different perspectives and contexts.

Danny: As I was finishing my master’s degree in data science, I was at a crossroads with my career aspirations. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and find a networking outlet that would allow me to make more impactful connections and learn from my peers. I was interested in finding a prospective mentor with extensive experience in my field of choice who had once been in a similar place earlier in their career. I was looking for someone I could trust to offer me their unique and genuine perspectives and help me with my personal and professional development.

 

2. What have you gained, person­ally and professionally, from being part of this program?

Alan: Professionally, the greatest benefit has been that I have gained a new and valued colleague. During our initial talks, Danny said that he was eagerly seeking advice on his job search. I offered to share my ideas with him and introduce him to our recruiting staff. I felt that our recruiting director could provide the best and most immediate advice on how successful candidates present themselves. The result of this coaching was that Danny ended up joining our firm. Even though Danny has been with us for a relatively short time, he has made an impact on his projects and I know that he will be a strong contributor.

On a personal level, I have been able to make some new acquaintances and sometimes friendships. I also feel grateful to remain involved in the Northwestern community and give back in this small manner.

Danny: This program provided me with the opportunity to meet very kind and engaging people who willingly offer advice and guidance across all areas of development. Going into the program, I was expecting to simply network and meet successful alumni who share similar interests and aspirations, but the program far exceeded those expectations. I consider myself very fortunate to have met Alan right off the bat. I knew I could learn a lot from him, and he was genuinely interested in helping me succeed. I am now working at Alan's consulting firm in a dream role. Participating in this program and meeting Alan helped put me on a career trajectory that I am extremely excited about.

 

3. What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Alan: The best career advice that I ever received was to actively invest in and develop your professional network. When I first entered the workforce, I focused almost solely on developing skills and experiences. I felt that world-class skills and knowledge would serve me well in my career.

Now, as I consider tapering off my career, I realize that most, if not all, important opportunities that I had to leverage and exploit my skills were due to my professional network. I also realized that solving really important, complex problems that are bigger than one person requires the talents and skills that you develop by creating and sustaining a professional network.

Danny: Although it may sound cliché at first, the best career advice I ever received was to be patient enough to learn but impatient enough to take risks. This was my perspective when signing up for the mentorship program. I took the time to learn from Alan and took a risk to be upfront about where I was in my career and what I was looking for. Had I chosen a different route, I can't say I would have been as fortunate.

Taher, a family physician, has mentored many students and alumni through the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program (NNMP). She’s been working recently with senior Lucy Liu ’22, who is interested in a career in medicine and public health.

In the interview, Taher shares her reasons for mentoring, what she’s gained from the experience, and both Taher and Liu impart the best career advice they’ve ever received.

“I joined the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program for three main reasons: to help mentees through challenges they might perceive as insurmountable, to answer their questions with complete transparency, and to empower them to appreciate their own value, whether they continue along their current career path or veer into another one,” Taher says.

“I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every second of my mentoring experiences. When I speak to my mentees, I’m reminded of the same questions I had at a similar stage in my career. But I’m most struck by the novel ways in which they have pursued their careers thus far. It’s clear to me that their unique and independent experiences will have a positive impact on my own field.”

"I wanted to make myself available for anyone who might have the types of questions that I had when I attended Northwestern and help them understand different perspectives and contexts".

The best career advice Taher ever received, she says, came from her dad. “’Don’t pressure yourself to check off all the ‘right’ boxes just to reach your career goals,’ he told me. ‘If you are invested in what you are doing, your enthusiasm and accomplishments will take you where you want to be.’

Liu, Taher’s mentee, was seeking advice on potential career paths when the two were paired through the NNMP.

“This program was the best way for me to find connections, because Northwestern provides a simple platform to connect to alumni who are willing to help,” Liu says. “Through participating in the NNMP, I’ve been able to reflect on the interests and passions that I want to pursue. I’ve also gained communication skills while connecting with alumni professionally.”

One insight Liu’s already gleaned? “Throughout your career, your priorities will change,” she says. “And that’s okay.”

For Jay Towns, mentorship mattered. While studying music theatre at Northwestern University, Towns was initially unsure of his career goals. Eager to expand his horizons, he took an entrepreneurship class that introduced him to two Northwestern Alumni Association mentorship programs: the Northwestern Network Mentorship Program (NNMP) and the Affinity Leaders and Learners (ALL) Mentorship Program. According to Towns, the impact of these programs will stay with him forever.

The NNMP is a global online platform designed to cultivate meaningful relationships between students and alumni mentors, while the ALL Program provides a more tailored mentorship experience for students who may prefer to connect with someone with similar personal or life experiences. Towns participated as a mentee in both programs simultaneously, where he connected with two alumni mentors—music major turned public relations professional Michael San Gabino ’13 and global marketing executive Darius Hines ’02, ’12 MBA. Their unique perspectives helped inspire Towns to explore the full extent of his potential as a creative.

Now, thanks in part to their guidance, Towns has become a full-time multihyphenate artist. Alongside his role as multimedia creative specialist at worldwide advertising agency DDB, he freelances as a photographer, content creator, music producer, and more. This National Mentoring Month, he shares what mentorship at Northwestern meant to him.

How did you benefit from participating in both mentorship programs?

From the ALL Program, I was interested in hearing about the experience of a Black man working in corporate America. Darius, my mentor from the program, had a nonlinear career trajectory, which resonated with me because I had no idea what I wanted to do at the time. I had skills, talents, and abilities that I knew were valuable, but I didn’t know how to package them. Darius helped me with that.

Michael, my mentor from the NNMP, also had a nonlinear path. The Northwestern ecosystem is the reason he felt confident to make that career shift. He advised me not to short-sell myself and also not to pretend to know something I don’t. He encouraged me to continually focus on the aspects of how I learn and develop myself. I took his advice directly into my advertising agency internship experience. I didn’t go to portfolio school; I studied music and theater. But I thought I’d be great at the job, so I put myself out there and did my best. I got hired, and I’m doing a lot of fun work there right now.

By hearing from two completely different people, I was able to synthesize their insights and learn that your talents make new spaces for you. There’s no better value than that.

Why should students consider joining these programs?

If you have the capacity to layer different perspectives, you end up with a better product. Speaking with both mentors helped me paint a bigger map. Think of Northwestern as the part of the map that shows how to get from point A to point B. Hearing an alum’s perspective was like adding the topography onto it. Now, I could see all the buildings. Then, I talked to another mentor, and I could see the traffic patterns.

Nothing about the world changed, but the way I interacted with the map changed. I could apply a different satellite vision if I felt it was relevant to my experience.

Students should definitely do both programs. The more information you have, the more likely you’ll come across relevant information to you. My life and Northwestern experience are more vibrant because I’ve been able to draw from extra perspectives. You will never have those experiences if you don’t go for it.

What do you think students get out of alumni mentorship?

Students can get a larger view of the world. Mentorship gave me a sense of what life after graduation would be like. My transition was eased. I felt a reassuring sense that everybody who graduates goes through this, and that you can actually prepare yourself to go through it better.

Talking about post-grad life with my friends was completely different than the conversations I had with alumni. As a student, you’re so invested in what you’re studying, you can’t imagine life outside of it. Alumni help you see how the things you do in college can help you become a part of society. Finding who you are within the things that you do, rather than ascribing your personality to those things—that’s really the goal.

How can mentees make the most of their experience?

Stay connected. It’s been interesting to see how my mentors’ careers develop. We forget that people are more than what you see the moment you meet them. You get that value over time from cultivating the relationship.

Talk to them about their University experience. The only thing every mentor has in common is that they went to Northwestern. Compare this with how they talk about the world; that’s much more informative than just asking them about their job.

Become comfortable with the uncomfortable and don’t be afraid to disagree. I take things from both Darius and Michael, and that’s the point. You’re not supposed to be a carbon copy of your mentor. Zoom out, think about the themes of the experience, and use that information to make your own inferences.