In Honor of National Mentoring Month: Thank you to our Coaches and Mentors

BY BETTI FUJIKADO

January is National Mentoring Month, a month dedicated to recognizing mentorship and the impact it makes on those who mentor and those who are mentored. It is a month to celebrate the positive influence mentoring has on individuals and communities. First Gen Cohorts is dedicated to leveling the playfield to support the success of first generation college graduates in their careers by providing community, coaching, and content. We want to take today, January 29th, Thank Your Mentor Day, to appreciate our coaches and co-founders for all they do for this program and our members. 

“I appreciate how genuine our coaches are. Genuity builds trust and community, and Arlician and Korey have done a great job building that trust through our shared experiences, and Betti and Carla through their extensive wisdom.”
- Mahdi, Alpha Cohort Member

“I would like to give a shout out to my coach, Korey, for being a great role model and for always being available to his mentees. Even when it’s not our 1:1 or group meeting, you can always count on him to provide some help when you’re in need. Thanks Korey! I appreciate you!”
- Makala, Alpha Cohort Member

“[My mentor, Arlicia,] she is really the supermom that is taking on the world right now. She is such an incredible mother and mentor and I have no idea how she is able to juggle it all! Not only is she a great listener, but she is always giving me honest advice to help me make decisions on how to solve my problems. Thank you so much!” 

“I was immediately drawn to Betti from the moment that she interviewed me and I can thankfully say that she has truly one of the most compassionate mentors I have ever had. She is constantly checking in with me professionally and personally and I know I can always lean on her for a listening ear. She is so encouraging and everyone that comes across her in life is beyond lucky!”
- Vincy, Alpha Cohort Member

“For both of our coaches, I appreciate their courage and vulnerability to share their real stories with us even though we were just a virtual stranger a couple of months ago. I love how they always have golden nuggets of wisdom during each of the meetings. I am in Alicia's group so I want to give her a shout-out for always listening to us without judgment. I really enjoy our 1 on 1 because she always asks great reflection questions to get me to think. I am grateful to have her as my coach.
- Navath, Alpha Cohort Member 

"I just want to give a shoutout to all the wonderful mentors at First Gen Cohorts: Arlicia and Korey--and by extension, Betti and Carla. To me, mentorships are nothing more than highly effective friendships. Whether it's by keeping me accountable on reaching my career goals, calling in to give emotional support with my challenges, or providing new perspectives in times of my own uncertainty, thank you for always being a figure I can count on giving me unwavering support."
- Clem, Alpha Cohort Member

Thank you to our amazing coaches and to everyone who dedicates their time to be a mentor, whether in formal or informal ways.