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David L. DuBois, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Division of Community Health Sciences within the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
My involvement in mentoring started about 15 years ago through a research project I conducted with a Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in Columbia, Missouri. The experience was the catalyst for my long-term interest in studying mentoring. It also sparked my desire to do my small part to support mentoring efforts in my community.
For me, this person would definitely be my wife. Day in and day out, she both supports and challenges me in ways that bring out my best and enable me to truly grow as a person. I think this speaks to the fact that mentoring is something we can all benefit from profoundly throughout our entire lives, although only if we are willing to open ourselves up to it.
Carl Rogers, the famous psychotherapist, wrote a book called On Becoming a Person that has been a great inspiration for me. He describes in powerful terms just what a struggle it can be in our modern society to be true to ourselves and embrace our identities. This book also makes a compelling argument that the fundamental building blocks for goodness are inherent in all people, a message that resonates deeply with me.
My philosophy is that the most important part of life is the way we go about living it, not what we achieve or accomplish. To remind myself of this, I keep in mind the words from an old Ella Fitzgerald song, “T’aint what ya do, it’s the way that you do it”. A big part of this for me is being open to the things that I can improve and then trying to take small steps to address those things.
A film that had an important influence on me and contributed to my interest in mentoring is To Sir with Love, starring Sidney Poitier. It is a wonderful and moving illustration of the difference that just one concerned adult can make in the lives of young people, even those who are seen as "lost causes".
I would have liked to spend more time in my community doing volunteer and service work. We didn’t really have service learning programs back then, but there are always opportunities if you look for them. I’m trying to make up for this now by finding fun volunteer activities to do with my 3-year-old daughter!
I’m pretty much a news junkie and like to get multiple perspectives on the same issue. I read the Chicago Tribune and magazines such as Newsweek and others that are more partisan like the Nation and the Economist. I also love to watch the News Hour with Jim Lehrer and just about any of the political roundtable shows.
My dream is for us to find ways to make major strides toward ensuring that all young people not just in this country, but around the world, grow up nurtured by the guidance and support of a community of caring adults.
