When the request went out last year seeking women in the community to act as a mentor, I immediately volunteered. Why? Although I work on a college campus, I have almost no interaction with students. The NYU Abu Dhabi Women’s Mentorship Program was the perfect bridge to the student population. Additionally, while most mentors were assigned one mentee, I was lucky enough to get two. And so last September, we set off – getting to know each other and discussing everything from classes to novels to relationships to post-graduate plans.

While there is no official guidebook for being a mentor, I try and come to each session as not only someone interested in my mentee’s scholastic life and career, but also as a friend. Although it’s been some years now since I was an undergrad, our talks remind me of my student experience. While both of my mentees are more intelligent and well-rounded individuals than I was at their age — not to mention they both grew up in much more diverse cultures than the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia — there are still shared experiences we can connect over. I try and ask good questions and like to think that I have some decent advice to share now and then.

My role is not a parent, nor is it a faculty member or part of the academic support staff. Being a mentor allows me to connect with the next generation, which is a big part of why I am proud to work at a university. For the challenging days I have in the office, meeting up for lunch with my mentees reminds me that the small part I have in this community is an important one. After all, when people ask what my work is about – I have two specific examples to point to. What is more important than educating the next generation?

At commencement for the classes of 2017 and 2018, I’ll be standing proudly in the back, clapping wildly and looking forward to where they both go next.

When I began the program, I wasn’t sure what my meetings with Courtney would look like; would we meet in her office and talk formally about my career plans, or would we work in a more informal setting?

Gradually, we got to know each other more. Now when we meet over lunch, I feel like I’m seeing an older, supportive friend. Probably the best part of our relationship is Courtney’s willingness to share about her life and sometimes ask for my opinion on different matters. Seeing the way she works on her books, often changing her mind without losing sight of her purpose, showed me her human side and made me respect her even more.

When I am confused, my mentor has the best way of helping me figure out what I want. Recently, I have been thinking about my future and deliberating between law school and a PhD program in comparative literature. Courtney asked me a simple question: “If you had any super powers, what would they be?” I thought her curiosity was completely unrelated and just responded: “Understanding every language. Something like having Google Translate in my head.” Turns out that her question made me realize what I truly love — translation studies.

Whenever I go to important meetings, I visit my mentor’s office first to plan my strategy and receive moral support. In those moments, I feel like our relationship is simply friendship placed into a professional setting. That is what we are — professional friends. It is crucial that Courtney knows me well, because my work is greatly influenced by my personal experiences. Still, I am glad she is distant enough to be objective when giving advice.

Mentorship is a great way to get involved in the community. I am not just someone’s mentee; now, I am also a mentor for the daughter of a professor on campus. I read her short stories and teach her the write-one-page-a-day rule. My role is an important one, and when I meet my mentee I act just like Courtney, whose mentorship style has influenced mine greatly.