Maximize Your Mentoring

Relationships between students and mentors provide benefits to both sides

Mary Kate Hopf, a senior from Jasper, Ind., was more excited than nervous when she met Gary Vance, ’77, at Ball State University’s 2021 Alumni & Benefactors Recognition Dinner. Mr. Vance is a renowned planner, architect, and author, and Ms. Hopf is an aspiring architect. The Homecoming Steering Committee Member took a chance.

“Hellos” quickly turned into personal stories and professional goals. After 45 years in the business, Mr. Vance said he “knew Mary Kate was a good bet,” minutes into their conversation.

“Send me your resume by noon tomorrow,” he urged.

She sent it by sunrise. Nine days later, Ms. Hopf had secured a Summer internship at Gresham Smith in Nashville—her “top pick since freshman year.”

“Meeting Gary was a surreal moment,” said Hopf, who is majoring in Architecture and Spanish. “In no time, he kickstarted my place in the architecture world. I am forever grateful to him, and it has inspired me to one day return the favor.”

Mr. Vance smiled as Ms. Hopf relayed her excitement and gratitude. The Indiana native has built his career with the help of mentors, and he’s called to connect, guid,e and inspire. Beneficence is reward enough, Mr. Vance said, but he is quick to point out that mentor-mentee relationships are not one sided. He has gained perspective, understanding, and professional support from mentees; and he encourages other mentors to maximize the relationship as a mutually beneficial one.

“Anyone who only sees mentorship as a one-way street is not considering the full possibilities,” said Mr. Vance, a 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, who, in 2019, collaborated with his family to produce the Kid Architect book series. Ms. Hopf and other mentees have promoted the series on social media or read and reviewed drafts.

Emily (McGowan) McGee, ’11, a medical planner and design professional for HOK in Washington, D.C., has several Kid Architect books at the office. Another of Mr. Vance’s mentees, Ms. McGee wrote a blog about her path to architecture for the Kid Architect website.

“Mentoring is indeed a two-way street,” said Ms. McGee, who has written reference letters for Mr. Vance and connected him to projects. “One of the benefits of being a mentee is to infuse fresh ideas, inspirations, and perspectives to the mentor.”

Mr. Vance reached out to Ms. McGee in 2019 when Healthcare Design Magazine named her a Rising Star. He served on the magazine’s advisory board and shot the fellow Cardinal a congratulatory message on LinkedIn, then nominated her for a number of awards, including the American Institute of Architects 2022 Associates Award. Ms. McGee said she plans to nominate future Cardinals for such prestigious awards.

A Ball State priority

Ball State is invested in these transformative relationships. The University’s strategic plan, Destination 2040: Our Flight Path, states the goal that, “every graduate has access to a coach or mentor.” In 2019, Ball State launched Cardinals Connect, an interactive platform that features events, job posts and professional and personal development opportunities. Two years later, the Miller College of Business piloted the SOAR Program to embed mentoring into a required course. Roughly 85 percent of SOAR mentors and mentees plan to stay connected after the semester.

Nicole Yankauskas, ’11, is among the SOAR mentors enthusiastic about the experience. The director of personal finance at Avalon Wealth Advisory stressed the ease and accessibility of the program, which includes a guide of expectations and conversation starters for the monthly, one-hour virtual or in person meetings.

“My mentee approaches our relationship in a focused, goal-oriented way. She is always prepared with thoughtful questions, responds to ideas with enthusiasm, and connects our conversation with real-world experience and goals.,” said Ms. Yankauskas, who graduated from Ball State with degrees in Finance, Risk Management and Insurance. “Staying connected with the next generation of thought leaders helps open my eyes to new ideas, trends, desires, and habits that I apply to my own life and business or share with others who may benefit.”

Evolving definitions of mentorship

Dawn Araujo-Hawkins, ’10, attended classes across McKinley Avenue from Ms. Yankauskas as a double major in Magazine Media and French. The Christian Century news editor urges a broad interpretation of “mentoring.” Although Ms. Araujo-Hawkins is yet to develop a lasting professional bond with any Ball State students, she has shared her career and advice with dozens of aspiring journalists, virtually from her home in Kansas City, Mo. She has responded to students’ follow-up questions via email and connected them with colleagues. That, Ms. Araujo-Hawkins said, is mentoring.

“Perhaps you don’t have the time for a long-term, formal mentoring relationship—but sharing your real-life experience and being open to questions is always helpful to someone,” she said. “I think this is even more critical for students from marginalized demographics who are often excluded from ‘good old boys’ networks, which generate a lot of insider professional advice and opportunities.”

Mr. Vance couldn’t agree more. He encourages mentors and mentees to build relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and in industries outside their own.

“All of us should gather a mentoring team of personal and professional supporters,” he said. “Connecting with people in other fields helps you draw from a broader set of experiences and relationships. It expands your network even further and gives your ideas you can apply to your field. Imagine how much richer our lives would be.”

Dom Caristi, professor of Media, has witnessed the benefits of mentoring across cultures. While on Fulbright in Slovenia, he taught 80 students, some of whom have visited him in Muncie, and one who has lectured Caristi’s classes: “It was a real case of the student becoming the teacher,” he said.

Pre-Zoom, Professor Caristi co-taught a class with a professor in Germany using “groundbreaking” phone and video capabilities. “One of the students in the German class, Iris, came to Ball State for her master’s degree in digital storytelling,” he added.

These types of experiences have enriched his life and broadened connections and understanding, Professor Caristi said: “If you put yourself out there, it’s amazing the rewards you receive, without expectation.”

Those returns continue to fuel Mr. Vance and many of Ball State’s 200,000-strong global alumni to engage with Cardinals Connect, speak to classes, seek one-on-one mentors through college or department programs, and more. Go to Cardinals Connect or contact the Ball State Career Center to learn more about connecting with Cardinals past and present.

“I wanted to connect with such an impressive colleague for professional reasons,” Vance said,” but turns out she attended an elementary school in Louisville, where all of my children went and she graduated from Carmel High School, which is only about three miles from where I live.”

Vance then nominated McGee for the College of Architecture and Planning’s inaugural Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award and the university’s GOLD Award, both of which McGee received in 2020. Vance served as an “invaluable” reference as McGee was named the American Institute of Architects 2022 Associates Award winner. McGee said she plans to nominate future Cardinals for such prestigious awards.

If we want to spell out, here it is: Success, Opportunity, Acumen, and Readiness

Caristi was among a team of journalism and media professors who collaborated on a project with the U.S. State Department to bring students from Malaysia and Indonesia to Ball State. Caristi and his wife, Kim, were hosted several of the students: “Their visit was during Ramadan, so we postponed dinner until shortly after 9 p.m. The young men never expected us to get up with them for breakfast the next morning at 4:30 a.m., but we did.”