Gateway to Success
This summer, 47 USC Dornsife undergraduates from a range of majors had an opportunity to reap the rewards of one-on-one mentoring by distinguished local business professionals. The students were participating in the Gateway Internship Program, now in its fourth year. Led by Donal Manahan, vice dean for students and professor of biological sciences, the program offers paid summer internships in banking, finance, entertainment, education, law, insurance, real estate and the nonprofit sector. A series of “Career Leadership” seminars also provides students with insight from expert guest speakers.
Here, three undergraduates and their mentors talk about what they gained from the mentoring experience.
Madeline Hinck and her mentor, Matthew Heller.
Mentor Matthew Heller and undergraduate Madeline (Maddy) Hinck
Alumnus Matthew Heller earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1989. He is a founding partner of Willner Heller LLC, a private wealth management firm.
A mentor in the USC Marshall School of Business for 20 years, this was his first year mentoring USC Dornsife students in the Gateway Internship Program.
His mentee, Presidential Scholar Maddy Hinck, a junior majoring in political science, interned at the TCW Group, an investment management company in downtown Los Angeles.
Matthew Heller:
“In mentoring Maddy I drew on my life and career experiences, running the gamut from ‘What do you want to accomplish?’ to ‘Where do you want to be in 10, 20 or 30 years after you graduate?’
“I truly believe mentors get as much out of the relationship as the mentees and the reward for me came in seeing the light bulb go on over her head when I’d explain to her, ‘This is why you want to look at this type of job rather than this type of job; this is why you want to consider relocation rather than sticking in your comfort zone.’ Seeing that these things made sense to her and that my experiences will become part of her calculus in how she organizes her job search and her career — that’s a very satisfying feeling for a mentor.
“Gateway does an excellent job of matching mentors with students and I’m really happy with the way USC Dornsife not only set up the program, but also encourages students to think in non-traditional ways. USC Dornsife is actively encouraging its students to think outside the proverbial box, to stretch themselves academically and in terms of their career prospects and that opens a whole new world of avenues for young people.”
Madeline (Maddy) Hinck:
“Matt’s mentoring was very beneficial. He gave me great advice for future career moves and on how to effectively make connections.
“I went into my internship very unsure of what it is that I wanted to do and whether or not I wanted to go to law school. Although I still have plenty of time to make this decision, it still stresses me out at times. Both of my parents went to law school, so it was refreshing to be able to talk to my mentor about his thoughts on the matter. Matt was able to give me a fresh perspective and new advice.
“Matt told me to follow my gut instinct, which is good advice for me because I tend to overthink big decisions. Matt believes in me and in my future and it was great to have that support this summer when I was tackling my internship. It was also nice to have a source to ask questions about office politics and how best to interact with my manager at work and other co-workers.
“We plan to stay in touch and it’s great to know there’s a friendly face out there whom I can reach out to for networking help or life advice.”
Stephanie Lu and her mentor, Randyn Calvo.
Mentor Randyn Calvo and undergraduate Stephanie Lu:
Alumna Randyn Calvo earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from USC Dornsife in December 2005. A management analyst at the City of Los Angeles, Department of Water and Power, this is her third year as a Gateway mentor.
She communicated regularly with her mentee, Stephanie Lu, a senior majoring in international relations at USC Dornsife and screen writing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, who interned with Steadfast Companies, a real estate investment management company based in Irvine, California. They also met up one weekend and toured Independence Hall in nearby Buena Park, a replica of the Philadelphia original.
Randyn Calvo:
“I gave Stephanie feedback based on my personal experience. One of the things I talked to her about was that you have to prepare differently for jobs in the private versus public sectors. Also, an employer’s expectations can vary by industry, so it’s important to know what the expectations are so you can complete your job applications, interviews, and resumes accordingly. I suggested to Stephanie to do her research by networking with people in the industries she is interested in to get a realistic expectation of available entry level jobs, hiring procedures, and what kind of questions she may be asked.
“I believe in the Trojan Family and the Trojan Spirit; it’s important to give back and help students so they do the same when they become alumni. My goal with each mentee is to have a positive impact on them by giving them useful information, advice, and unbiased support. My hope is that Stephanie received all of these things from her Gateway mentor experience.
“Even though the mentorship has officially ended, I let Stephanie know that I’m still here for her if she ever wants to reach out in future, I’m always happy to listen to her ideas, provide feedback, and share my experiences or insight.
Stephanie Lu:
“I was drawn to Gateway primarily because of the mentorship program and the wide variety of internships offered. The fact that I would have a mentor to help support me throughout the internship and during my job hunt made me want to be a part of the program.
“Randyn and I have a very casual and supportive relationship. I know that whenever I need anything I can contact her and I will get an honest response. She will always tell me what I need to know in regards to career and also in regards to work-life balance. I’ve learned so much from her and am so thankful she was my mentor.
“She taught me the importance of presentation, not only of myself, but also my resume and cover letter.
“She also shared how powerful social media and the Internet can be. One comment you make on a social media site can be easily traced back to you, and that comment may influence an interviewer’s decision to hire you.
“Randyn taught me the importance of having time for yourself. Yes, it is important to stay on top of work and always perform your best, but you need time for yourself to stay mentally healthy.
“I will definitely stay in touch with Randyn. I still have a lot to learn from her.”
Sasha Hondagneu-Messner and his mentor, Robert Stemler.
Mentor Robert (Bob) Stemler and undergraduate Sasha Hondagneu-Messner
Alumnus Robert (Bob) Stemler, an attorney and shareholder with the law firm Keesal, Young & Logan in Long Beach, California, is serving as a Gateway mentor for the second year. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from USC Dornsife in 1984 and his J.D. from USC Gould School of Law in 1987. His daughter, Kathryn Stemler, graduated from USC Dornsife with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2012.
His mentee, Sasha Hondagneu-Messner, a senior majoring in political science, interned at Legal Aid Foundation, a non-profit located just a few blocks from Stemler’s office.
Robert (Bob) Stemler:
“Gateway did a particularly nice job of pairing us up this year: first, because Sasha is considering going to law school; and second, because he was interning with Legal Aid in downtown Long Beach, which is three blocks from my office. We met four or five times during the summer. Sasha would come over and have lunch with me and once in a while we would mix in a few other attorneys. We were able to talk about the kinds of things we were working on and how that fit into the world of law, and it gave him a chance to see a law firm in operation. While law school seems like the next logical step after a political science degree, as a student, you don’t necessarily know what that means in terms of day-to-day work.
“What I learned from having a mentee is an appreciation for the road I have already travelled. I think as you get far enough away from the early stages of your career you forget all that has taken place during the journey. You gain a new appreciation and energy for what you are doing because of your mentee’s enthusiasm.
“The most enjoyable aspect of being a mentor is the chance to get to know these very impressive young people and soak up that enthusiasm.
Sasha Hondagneu-Messner:
“I was glad my office was so near to Bob’s, because I was able to meet up with him for lunch just about every other week.
“I’ve always been a little intimidated by corporate law, and it was really interesting to see the dichotomous differences between Bob’s office and the public interest I was working for. He gave me an insider impression about law that was completely unique to anything I had heard before.
“One of the key ways he changed my perspective was on one of my fundamental concepts of law. I had always thought that in law there’s either winning or losing, but Bob explained to me how in many types of law (including his, which mostly involves contracts), there are no wins or losses, but rather agreements made. Of course you have your clients’ best interests at heart, but the other side could reject a proposal if they don’t like it and vice-versa. In short, he made me realize that my goals lie in law school, something I was undecided about before the summer.
“If I was going to give advice to other USC Dornsife students considering the Gateway Internship Program I would say: Try to learn as much as possible from your mentor. And don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they’re stupid.”