Five
Questions With...
Jane Gunther, H Sci '83
(Brooke Benner, H Sci '17, mentee)
1. What suggestions do you have for mentees?
Ask questions of your
mentor. We do not think your questions are naive or unintelligent, it helps us
to see where you have concerns or interests but not enough information which we
may be able to provide.
2. Is there a class you wish you would’ve taken when you were at
Marquette? If so, what was it?
If writing and presentations are not part
of the curriculum, I recommend taking a class or workshop in one or both to
learn effective communication skills. I went into science partly because I did
not like writing, but in reality one needs to be able to communicate their
scientific discoveries in writing and in presentations.
3. How do you manage work/life balance?
I keep a To DO list that
includes work and personal items. At the start of the week, I define the three
most important tasks (MITs) from that list that must get done each day of the
week. I make them the focus of my day. "Go to the dentist, finish my work
presentation, call my mother" are all equally important.
4. Two things you think a Marquette student should do before they
graduate.
Take part in a community activity, to see life away from the
Marquette campus. Second, take a class in an area that is of interest to
you, something different from your area of focus - life after graduation is
interdisciplinary.
5. Something you wish you would’ve done differently at Marquette to help
prepare for your career?
I wish I had interacted more with my professors
and not been just a student in class. Being more of an introvert, this was
something that was not easy for me, but more often than not, doing what is
difficult has great rewards. Becoming comfortable with speaking with one's
instructors is a great way to practice communication skills.
Jane Gunther is a director at JG Nonclinical Consulting in Pacifica, Calif.
Five Questions With...appears in the monthly mentor newsletter and the online mentor toolbox.
RESOURCES
For mentors
For mentees
- Five Ways to Make the Most Out of Having a Mentor
- Forbes - Getting the most out of your mentor relationship
- Habits of effective proteges
- Mentors help young professionals get ahead - The Wall Street Journal
- Why young professionals need mentors for success
- Huffington Post - How a mentor can help your career - Forbes
- 13 tips for nailing a Skype interview - USA Today
MUAA Mentor Program
November Newsletter
MUAA Mentor Program October Newsletter