Levy Randolph's Mentoring Philosophy

One of the most meaningful requests that an individual can receive is to be asked to mentor another. However, this request does not come easy nor often. I believe that in order to be afforded an opportunity to mentor someone, you must earn their friendship, respect and trust – in that order. For this reason, my philosophy on mentoring is as follows: Mentoring is an intimate experience between two individuals that is built upon shared admiration with a focus on continuous growth and development. I believe this is true when interacting with all individuals whether you have a shared background or come from diverse communities. Mentorship is a rewarding experience, but in order to become a mentor, you must go through a process of connecting with a potential mentee.

In my position as a professor, I have come to learn that my potential to be a mentor starts as both an educator and an advisor. In the classroom, I focus on creating an environment in which my students can feel comfortable to safely challenge me or the information. I continuously encourage my students to also think about other perspectives that may not be shared by them. Through this approach, we can have difficult discussions that require us to think deeper on a concept or an issue. I am also transparent with my students about my background as it is different from many of theirs. I believe it is important for these future communicators to know that even if we do not share the same upbringing, we can still use our knowledge and skills for a common purpose: our shared passion for the industry. Outside of the classroom, I am also an advisor to 30 students every year. Every time I have an advising appointment, I make it a point to meet my advisee where they are at. As a young adult in college, they are going through so many influential experiences that are shaping their life and I want them to know that I am there for them. Whether they need a sounding board for difficult conversations or reassurance that they are making the right decisions, I choose to be an ally and friend while also being their advisor. My goal as a teacher and an advisor is to ensure that my students and my advisees know that we can build a friendship that is grounded in mutual respect. This is the first part of becoming a mentor.

Over the years, I have learned that my students desire to be challenged. They are competent, deliberate, curious, and open-minded individuals who have a desire to excel in their studies. I choose to treat them as such. In order to do so, I must ensure that they know I will push them extremely hard but that they can lean on me when the challenge becomes too difficult. A mutual respect between one another begins to form. We respect each other’s expectations, experiences, and boundaries. As our relationships grow over their educational career, I believe that our continuous interactions in the classroom or through advising will reinforce our friendship and respect. This results in a level of trust that varies with everyone. I can trust that students will be able to complete certain tasks or follow through on opportunities that are offered by external networks. The students can trust that I will always have their best interest in mind and do anything that I can to help them grow.

The entire process of becoming a mentor is an intimate experience, more so when you are connecting or mentoring someone with a diverse or different background from yours. The process of building friendship, respect and trust can have both its rewards and pitfalls. Pitfalls can occur when people have uncommunicated expectations that are not met and ultimately result in regression of the relationship. The rewards include learning about a whole new perspective to life. People can be messy and bring so much complexity to the surface when you are building a connection. This is a humbling experience and should be treated with respect and understanding. However, different experiences and diverse cultures can bring beautiful knowledge into your life regarding others’ lived experiences.

At some point, each potential mentee must decide when the relationship can progress to the final step. I believe that no one is a mentor unless that relationship has fully been established at the request of the mentee and the acceptance of the mentor. Until a request has been made, I consider myself to be a friend and advisor. I will continue to place my respect and trust in those relationships and honor their respect and trust as well. However, should I be fortunate enough to be asked to be a mentor, I recognize the privilege that comes with the next level of growth. I believe that a student who looks to me for mentorship is desiring a deeper knowledge and developmental experience with an area that I share expertise. In order to meet their expectations, I like to delve into even deeper conversations that challenge them to critically think about their growth. Additionally, I believe that when someone, who comes from a diverse community other than my own, asks me to be their mentor, they are looking to have a deeper understanding of my community and experiences. At the same time, if I accept this mentorship request, I have a responsibility to gain a further, deeper understanding of theirs. This becomes an intimate, woven relationship of knowledge, skills, networks and opportunities for growth. Therefore, mentorship becomes a shared experience holding both parties accountable to further shaping their understanding of the world around them. We learn together and we grow together.