The Power of Mentoring — We Should All Be So Lucky

By Shane Robitaille

During my junior year of high school, I was renting a bedroom in town, paying room and board, and legally emancipated. I had been living on my own, on-and-off, since about 14 1/2 years old. I had worked at fast-food restaurants, a bread company, a construction company, a gym, and even did modeling for some local companies. As much as I worked, it was still impossible to make ends meet. In fact, I starting skipping school for work, had a very bleak outlook, and was thinking of dropping out of school.

When I arrived at my fourth high school, with a bad haircut, an attitude, and a distrust for most adults, I mostly kept a low-profile. Then one day I met Mr. McNally, the high school’s tall, easy-going, Dean of Students. Normally students don’t spend a lot of time with the dean, but since I was in several scuffles that resulted in going to the office, Mr. McNally and I were forced to know each other quickly.

When we first met, I was very suspicious of him, with a healthy level of distrust that I had for most adults. I knew that he would eventually not live up to expectations and fade away, like everybody else.

But then something happened. I found myself sharing information with him that I wouldn’t normally share with others. And he listened. He listened closely. At first, our conversations were a result of me getting into some kind of scrap or trouble and having to go to the office. Eventually, I was getting into less trouble, and would just stop by his office to chat. Even on his busiest days, he’d always make time for me.

At some point in our conversations I must have told him how when I was 12-years-old, I received a Commodore Vic-20 personal computer for Christmas. I told him how I taught myself how to program video games by customizing code from computer magazines. Although my exposure to computers was brief since I started to become homeless a few years later, that exposure to programming gave me confidence around technology.

One day I walked into school and found a classified ad taped to my locker door. The ad was for Abt Associates, a research and marketing firm with an office at the local mall. They were looking for somebody who “knew computers.” Attached to the ad was a note from Mr. McNally, telling me that he arranged for an interview that night.

Although I was reluctant, scared, and almost didn’t show up for the interview, I didn’t want to let Mr. McNally down. I walked into the company with bleached hair, an attitude, and looking rough around the edges. I walked out as the youngest employee. About a year or so later I became a supervisor. This awesome experience not only helped me financially at the time, but it gave me confidence and skills for a lifetime.

Although I’m sure I didn’t thank him as much as I should have, Mr. McNally’s selfless mentoring, listening skills, and call-to-action, impacted my life in an enormous way.

We should all be so lucky.