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This piece was originally published in听the听.

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January is听, a time to听acknowledge听and appreciate听the听impact听mentors听have听personally and professionally听on their mentees, and the significance mentoring has听on society.听Research and countless studies have听demonstrated听that mentors positively听impact听youth, college听students听and employees.

Think back for a moment听on an influential mentor in your life.听Perhaps听it听was a parent, family member, coach,听teacher听or supervisor.听For me, it was Dr. Jim Kirk, founder and former听director of the Human Resource Development program at Western Carolina University听and听advisor听during my graduate studies at WCU.听Dr. Kirk听was the epitome听of a听skilled听mentor.听He modeled听a unique blend听of subject matter听expertise,听humility听and a good dose of candor that many of us needed听to hear but rarely ever听do.听

The word 鈥渕entor鈥澨齝omes from听Greek mythology.听Mentor听was Odysseus's friend听and was听entrusted with听educating his听son Telemachus.听Today, Merriam-Webster defines听a听mentor as听鈥渁 trusted counselor or guide.鈥澨齋ynonyms for mentor include 鈥渢utor鈥� and 鈥渃oach.鈥�

Inherent in that definition is the desire of the mentor to help听their听mentee grow in knowledge,听experience听and confidence. The relationship is not necessarily transactional; the听mentor鈥檚听reward is seeing the success of their mentee.

Youth Mentoring

According to听,听having a good relationship with a mentor can have the following positive benefits for youth:

College Mentoring

While the role of youth mentors听is听well known,听the role of college听mentors听is less so.听Beyond serving as an academic advisor who tells you what courses to take to graduate听or听how to improve your thesis, college mentors should听equally听have听your听career goals听and aspirations听in mind.

As the听Southeast regional听director for听online听nonprofit听Western Governors University听(with more than 3,200 active students in South Carolina),听I鈥檝e听seen firsthand how our program mentors work with students from day one through graduation to help them achieve their goals. Engaged and dedicated college mentors can provide the听following support:

• Support for growth in听students鈥櫶齠ields听of study,听whether or not听they have听prior experience or听college听credits

• Assistance听with goal setting

• Holding students accountable

• Help with making professional connections

• Discernment of learning strengths (e.g., visual, auditory, solitary vs. group, verbal, etc.).

Workplace Mentoring

How important is the role of mentors听in business? Consider that听听in the U.S.听have mentoring programs.听

Here are just a few of the听听in the workplace:听

• Dramatically reduces staff turnover

• Produces significant cost savings, particularly in turnover costs

• Provides workers with the personal engagement they desire

• Supercharges both personal and professional growth听

• Fosters听a sense of听belonging听

A good mentor can听genuinely听change lives,听position mentees for prolonged success, and听provide a听mentoring model we can听use with听others.听Let鈥檚听take a moment this month to recognize the outstanding mentors听in our lives and听encourage more individuals to take on this听vital听role听to mentor youth, college听students听and employees.听