Social Work Graduate Student Nadine Kenigstein
Meeting with my mentee, Janette, all semester long, has given me
an
entirely different perspective on graduate school. As I was coming
to an
end of my graduate coursework, it was refreshing to relive the experience
with an undergraduate student on her future journey in that direction.
Throughout this semester's IE Pre-Grad Internship Janette and I met
at the
School of Social Work. Getting together here, I feel, helped Janette
see
details of graduate life that may not have been understood any other
way.
Explanations of my graduate assistantship, classes, and camaraderie
in its
natural environment allowed Janette an internal meaning to our school's
method.
Although there is always initial apprehension to the graduate process, Janette and I continued dialogue disclosing how it could look and work for her. Aligning a Master's degree with Janette's future goals facilitated an immediate closeness between the two of us, as we prioritized her options. Having the opportunity to alleviate some of her concerns over this future endeavor helped me grow and better understand the ebb and flow of life.
As this mentoring program fostered support for undergraduate students beginning to prepare for graduation and their new learning voyage, I realize the powerful tools of knowledge and information. Janette took away an advanced awareness into post-bachelors education. I too took away and advanced awareness into post-bachelors education through the eyes of my mentee. For this experience I am truly grateful, as I was given the opportunity to start with a beginners mind all over again.