The Importance of Mentorship: An Interview with Cassandra and Margie
By Chynna Presley, Women’s Fund Economic Security Specialist
Pairing students with community professionals as mentors is a crucial part of our Internship Program’s Summer Workshop Series. Every Monday evening during June and July, interns gather for leadership development training and a chance to connect with local employers and fellow interns. We also ask mentors to schedule at least two meetings, offer advice as needed, and serve as connectors to help their mentees expand their networks as they build their careers.
We can’t guarantee every pairing will be perfect, but this year, one pairing stood out. Chynna sat down with intern Cassandra Smith and mentor Margie Cantey, Chief Compliance Officer at Benchmark Human Services, to learn more about their experience.
What were your expectations going into this mentorship pairing?
Margie: I wasn’t entirely sure. This was my first official mentorship. I was really excited about the opportunity to meet with Cassandra and find out what she wanted from the experience. I hoped to share some wisdom from what I’ve learned over the years and help guide a younger woman as she launches her career, with some expectations for how to overcome barriers that still exist today for women.
Cassandra: My main goal this summer, as I focused on graduating from college and trying to choose which direction my career path might take, was to see what different people do for a living, what they studied to get there, where they started, and how they got there. I saw this as another way to see what someone is doing, what they’ve learned throughout their journey, and what advice they might have. Pretty standard coffee chat.
Tell me about your first meeting.
Margie: We went to a coffee shop. I pulled out the standard questions I was given, and after meeting with Cassandra, I’ll be honest: I told my co-worker, “I think she should be my mentor!”
[Laughs and speaks to Cassandra] You are so accomplished, and I was like, “I think she could mentor ME!” So, it was just very exciting for me to hear about everything you’ve done so far.
Cassandra: We sat down, and Margie was like, “So what do you want from this?” I feel like it was pretty thoughtful of her to check whether I had any expectations going into it. I didn’t have any expectations, so the conversation was open to seeing where we both wanted to take it. We talked a lot about negotiations and how to handle conflict in the workplace. I think that conversation stemmed from me telling her about one of the workshops we had on conflict resolution.
You covered all of that in your first meeting?
Cassandra: We were there for a while!
Margie: It was really good. I wanted to make sure I knew what Cassandra wanted from this mentorship because I thought that if I couldn’t fulfill that, I would connect her with someone who has that skill or experience, so that by the end of this, I could set her up and prepare her for her future.
Tell me about some of those connections you made.
Margie: I connected her with Benchmark’s Director of Business Development Strategies, Sarah Chestnut, who had worked with one of our trade associations. I wanted Cassandra to gain experience in government and public policy. I know Cassandra is very interested in that, and I thought it would be a good inroad to that higher governmental level, since I was talking to her more about the rules and regulations that impact the services we provide locally.
[Speaks to Cassandra] I think Sarah introduced you to someone, too.
Cassandra: Yeah, it kind of snowballed from there. Sarah introduced me to someone, who introduced me to someone else, who introduced me to someone else. It was a chain of events that started with Margie. I’ve had some great conversations. Sarah was very honest about the challenges of breaking into policy and gave me great advice on what to look for in graduate programs and certifications. I’m very glad I have this information now, not in three years when I’m applying for jobs.
Margie, as this was your first time being a mentor, what did it feel like for you?
Margie: I was so excited because I feel very passionately about women in the workplace. Sharing my own experiences with a younger generation is so impactful because I didn’t know what I didn’t know when I started out. Being someone other than a parent they can go to for professional advice—it just made me happy. It really filled my cup. It’s something I enjoyed immensely.
Cassandra, what impact did this mentorship have on you?
Cassandra: Margie and I both have big personalities, and I love women with big personalities, so I knew it was going to be a good pairing. It’s just good to see women being leaders. Margie shared stories with me about times when she had to stand up to her male co-workers and stand up for other people. I think it’s good to see someone like her and strive to exemplify those traits. It was also good to know that there is a place for women with big personalities. Sometimes you feel like you have to tone yourself down, but you really don’t. Other people just need to learn to adapt and meet you where you are.
As an intern, there are so many real-world scenarios you don’t experience or even anticipate that can’t be taught in a workshop. Our second meeting was toward the end of my internship, and I had a meeting scheduled with my supervisor. So I just asked Margie, “What do I say? How do I ask for feedback without it sounding like ‘so what did I do wrong?’” In my meeting, I repeated what Margie told me to say word for word. It was nice to have someone to go to who won’t judge me for needing answers to those questions.
Do you see this relationship continuing to evolve, or do you think it was only for a season?
Margie: I can say that I am happy for Cassandra to reach out to me at any time, but she is so well developed as a person that she may not need it. If something comes up, she’s totally welcome to call me.
Cassandra: There are some things you just can’t get from a career counselor or a presentation. This is a really big time in my life, so I feel like it was a perfect time to meet Margie and have her mentorship. I’m going to have more questions, and I’ll definitely reach out. And you never know where the road leads and who has connections. Maybe five years down the road, I’ll be hitting Margie up and saying, “Hey, I saw an opening at your organization …”
Margie: Absolutely!
Margie, do you have any tips for our future mentors?
Margie: Ask the mentee what their expectations are or what they want to gain from the mentorship. Think through who you can connect the mentee with, based on their interests. I also think it’s important to share experiences and how to handle certain situations professionally. Real-life examples sometimes have a better impact than book learning.
I think it might also have been helpful if I had attended some of the workshops so I could expand on the information in our conversations.
Cassandra, do you have any advice for our future interns regarding mentorship?
Cassandra: It’s okay to go into a mentorship meeting with a very specific need in mind. You can ask for introductions to specific companies or industries. Have the confidence to ask for what you want. It can go a long way.
Final thoughts on the importance of mentorship?
Cassandra: I just feel like you’re always learning. You never know where a tidbit is going to come from. And it becomes the missing piece in your life and your mission, and in how you approach things. As humans, we’re constantly learning, so having someone whose purpose is to learn from the other feels so valuable for your professional development, your soul, and your ability to be human.
Margie: Sometimes, when you get established in your career, you can become very set in your ways. I think it’s very refreshing to meet with people who are younger than you—in school or just starting their careers—and to learn from them, too. There were things that Cassandra said that I found very interesting. I think mentorship gives the mentor a moment to reflect on where they are and whether there are new things they should incorporate into how they’re managing or operating in the workplace. It also challenges and stretches you. Lifelong learning is important to me as well, and mentoring gives you an opportunity to learn as well.
Chynna: Mutually beneficial?
Margie: Absolutely, 100 percent. It’s not a one-way street at all.