| Mentors
'catch journalists before they fall'
Kristin Go |
By Kristen Go
Education Reporter
The Arizona Republic, Phoenix
"Thanks
so much! I was having kind of a bummer day, and then I looked
at your note and it made me feel so much better!"
I'll admit it. The reasons I mentor are a bit selfish. The
quote comes from an exchange I had with a young woman I've
mentored for six months. I was giving her feedback on stories
she'd written.
Her comments put a smile on my face. Her comments make me
believe that I can make a difference. Her comments give me
hope that one by one we can help improve the retention rate
of minority journalists.
The retention rate of minority journalists isn't nearly
what it should be. Too many young journalists walk
into newsrooms without any support. The mentoring program
is a safety net. We're there to catch these journalists before
they fall.
I, like many others, have thought of quitting journalism.
What's made a difference is having someone to turn to. I mentor
because I feel it's time to give back. I'll be there as a
safety net just as others have been there to catch me before
I've stumbled.
Kristen Go was a Chips Quinn Scholar in 1996 and 1997.
Reach her at Gogrlk@aol.com.
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