Roderick Diamond II, Associate Sports Editor

There are plenty of examples that show how crucial a positive mentor is to success. Oprah Winfrey was mentored by the late Maya Angelou. Benjamin Elijah Mays mentored our brother Martin Luther King Jr., and Ray Charles mentored Quincy Jones. These are all individuals that have had a global impact.

If greats such as those had mentors, imagine what that relationship can do for the at-risk or average student in the AUC. The AUC thrives on that type of relationship because its a driving force for the future. There are countless areas on our campuses where that relationship can foster.

For example there are residential advisors (RA) in our houses. Raymond White, an RA in the Living Learning Center, a freshman dorm, credits his position in the freshman dorms as a “better chance for the youth.”

“I am an upperclassmen in a freshman dorm,” said White. “So they look to me for answers and guidance. They see me as a big brother because I am only one step ahead of them. I am where they are trying to get. Just like a kid or baby they learn from the stuff they see or hear, good or bad.”

The senior accounting major from Dekalb County also spoke on how he would not have made it this far without his mentor.

Another perspective is Paul Larkin, a Public Health graduate student from Morehouse School of Medicine who wants to give back because he did not have mentors when he began his career. He has been mentoring six years starting with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Collegiate 100 of Atlanta. Larkin currently has mentees at Morehouse and Clark Atlanta.

“I did not always have that advice that I needed,” Larkin said. “ I missed out on somebody that I identify with.  I strive to not only provide support but also direction”

Those two components, support and direction,  are essential in the mentor/mentee relationship. Without those, the connection is nonexistent. Nonetheless, mentors fuel and guide generations for years to come.

As students at Morehouse College, it would be wise to attempt to foster those types of relationships with underclassmen brothers, or even find a professional in your specific field. It has been proven successful, so it is worth the try.