Building Trust and Rapport Early On
Demetrius Scott
Associate Manager of Corporate Citizenship, Ally Financial; Years as a mentor: 4*
*Full Circle Mentor – was program participant in 2007
Being a native Detroiter and alum of the program, I feel it is my duty to help those who follow behind me. I return every year to help mold the next generation of leaders. I choose to devote my time to the program because I know firsthand the impact that it will have on the students. The relationships I built and the life skills I learned in the Midnight Golf Program have taken me much further in life than the degrees I earned in college.
I am very active in the life of the students, but my laid-back personality gives them comfort to open up to me so that we can build a trusting relationship to help them achieve their goals. Given that I am not too far removed from where they are now, and I went through the program, it makes me easier to communicate with.
My most memorable mentor moment was when I was able to help my mentee get into his dream school, Michigan State University. His grades were not the best, so he had to work extra hard. We worked many late nights on his personal statement, recommendation letters and essays. In the end, all the hard work paid off and he is now a sophomore a MSU, doing a great job.
I stay in contact with the young people I’ve mentored through a variety of ways including regular calls and social media. I try my best to have at least a touchpoint once a month with each of my mentees. I also usually take them out for lunch, dinner or activities when they are home for breaks or over the summer.
I am a proud mentor and alum because of the impact the program had on my life and all the other past, current, and future students. MGP is one the most important factors in my success to date and there are hundreds of other students that share the same belief.
