Mentors

As one progresses through education, teachers do more than merely recite PowerPoints or read from lab manuals; they begin to lead. Especially in upper division classes, teachers can often inspire and motivate their students in ways outside of the classroom. Through direct involvement in undergraduate research or serving as a source of experience and wisdom, teachers can soon become more: they can become mentors.

            Mentors play a critical role in the academic and social growth of students, and having a competent and well-rounded mentor can cause a world of difference. Select instructors strive to inspire curiosity and a fascination for learning, just like my freshman year biology teacher, Mr. Budniak. In his class, two pivotal projects were to go out into the world to document and identify insects and plants, which forces one to slow down and earnestly examine the nature around them. After that project, I have a newfound joy and wonder for the life I find around me, which would have never happened without the guiding influence of a great teacher, thinly veiled behind a curtain of homework.

            So, too, can professors foster a love of learning through direct interaction, such as taking on a student to work in their research lab. My current research mentor, Dr. Gupta, has gone beyond her role to guide me through our projects, instead encouraging me to strive for excellence at every chance I could. While pursuing novel research into nontrivial fields, Dr. Gupta has given me countless opportunities to grow, to learn, and to experience things I never thought possible for a student of my age. My time working in her lab has given me more than just experience in a myriad of machines or presentation of data. It has shown me what it means to be dedicated to science and to live your life in pursuit of learning more about the universe around you—big or small.