Over the past few months, the subject of mentoring has crossed my mind quite a few times. As I begin to work with the students in my courses, I remember the people who were (and still are) so influential in my life as well as those who have more recently entered. Each has been as an amazing guide as I move along this path to a career in psychology. Regarding their psychological careers, they have demonstrated a balance of solemnity, insight towards social justice and zeal which served as an inspiration as to my approach towards a career path in social psychology. Guideposts, signs and support..........
Little did I know that as I entered that first undergraduate psychology course, the person standing at the front of the room would be my first mentor. Mind you, it certainly didn't start off as a mentoring relationship. At first, she was simply the professor of an introductory psychology course that many, many students are required to take. Since I was returning to school, I would meet with her to clarify my ideas about the assignments. Over time, our conversations moved away from basic discussions about the course work to my future plans for a psychology career. Initially, I had every intention of becoming a counseling psychologist who would work with women survivors of violence. I believed that I would have been very happy in that work. The objective was to acquire a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology then stay in Hawaii to work with the law enforcement community to help survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. She proposed a different path to my future career.
We began to talk about the pursuit of a Doctoral degree. My initial thoughts were that this might be too big a task. Over time, the argument was eloquently made for this path to a psychological career. She noted that my experience in crisis counseling at a local women's center provides a unique viewpoint. It could lead me towards either continuing on the counseling path or embarking on a research career which may lend insight as to the possible causes for those social problems. Each would help the target population but the latter might start definitive change in the public discourse about violence against women. To that end, I began to work on research projects with her as well as becoming a research assistant to another professor who would also serve as a guide. Through this mentoring relationship, we designed a course of action in preparation for a doctorate program. Though this was a more traditional dynamic, mentoring can manifest in unconventional ways. 
