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Dr. Jean Rhodes, Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, is a recognized and widely-published expert on youth mentoring. Dr. Rhodes serves as chair of MENTOR's Research and Policy Council.
As far back as my undergraduate years at the University of Vermont, I have been deeply influenced by the field of community psychology and the logic of "giving psychology away." Mentoring, in which millions of volunteers, teachers, after-school staff and other caring adults touch the lives of vulnerable youth, holds that promise. My work has been driven by the belief that if these relationships could be enhanced with strong developmental and clinical research, their full potential could be harnessed.
My college professor, George Albee, has been my lifelong mentor. He opened me up to an unknown intellectual world and encouraged me to pursue an academic career. He is now in his mid-80's and remains an important influence in my life. In addition, my husband Dane and my older sister Nancy are vital influences in my life each day. They mean the world to me and I consult with them about every major decision.
I recently re-read Homer's Odyssey and was deeply touched by it. It's really an extraordinary tale of integrity, enduring love, family bonds, forbearance and courage in the face of adversity. It was also interesting to read into the messages about mentoring in the book. As most people know, the word mentor stems from this epic poem, wherein, Odysseus' son, Telemachus, is guided by a trusted family friend, Mentes (who is actually the goddess Athena in disguise). But did you know that Athena's impetus for entering into Telemachus's life in this form was to prepare him for a reunion with his father? To me this speaks to the role of mentors in promoting better parent-child relationships and the imaginative ways in which mentors facilitate the transition to adulthood.
My book includes a quote from E.B White's Charlotte’s Web. Here it is in longer form. "After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that." I think that captures my philosophy. Our lives are enriched by the relationships we forge, and by the extent to which we touch and open ourselves up to being touched by, the hearts and minds of others.
An important film to me was To Kill a Mockingbird. Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch shows us the importance of standing up for what we know to be true, even when it is in opposition to prevailing beliefs.
I wish I had been more serious about learning. I was very focused on the social dimensions of high school (president of the Student Council, etc.). It wasn't until I got to college that I began to even consider more academic interests.
I read the New York Times every morning and watch the "Daily Show" with Jon Stewart at night.
I wish that the mentoring community would measure the success of programs in terms of relationship quality and duration, as opposed to the number of new matches that are formed. When we begin to privilege quality over expansion it will affect every aspect of the endeavor—from recruiting appropriate mentors and mentees, to investing the time and resources into sustaining quality ties.
