Congratulations to Jessica for being nominated as February’s Most Valuable Member! Continue reading for my interview with her.
Tell me about yourself.
My name is Jessica Acero and I am the co-chair of mentorship in WIB. Currently, I am a sophomore majoring in Accounting with minors in psychology and math. Besides WIB, I am also an orientation leader for T.E.A.M. Baruch. Outside of school I like to watch Law and Order, especially the SVU episodes. Additionally, I enjoy walking the Brooklyn Bridge and taking a walk in the park with my dog.
Tell me about your journey throughout WIB. How did you come to be the co-chair of mentorship?
I joined Women in Business during the spring semester of my freshmen year. Joining in the spring semester was challenging, at first, because people that joined during the fall semester had already become friends with each other. At first, I felt like I did not belong. In order to become more involved and to get to know the members, I started attending more events. I joined two committees: ATHENA and Alumnae Relations. I was the mentorship manager for ATHENA and the news reporter for Alumnae Relations. Sunny, the previous VP of Mentorship, was supportive and encouraged me to run for a VP position in the following semester. I did run for VP of Mentorship, but I felt that I lacked enough experience for the role and needed to work on my interviewing skills. Then, Katherine asked me if I wanted to be her co-chair in ATHENA, because I already had experience being an ATHENA manager. It was what I wanted, so I said yes. That is how I came to be the co-chair of mentorship.
What do you love most about the Mentorship Committee?
What I love about the mentorship committee is having the chance to experience a mentor and mentee form a lasting relationship. During my first semester as an ATHENA manager, I saw Melissa and Susan bond and form a friendship which was exciting to experience. Even after the mentorship ended, they are still friends. I am happy to say that I played a role in helping to form that relationship. Being a manager of the mentorship program also allowed me to become friends with great people.
How does the ATHENA mentorship program benefit its members?
By being in the ATHENA mentorship program, you can count on someone to guide you personally and professionally. A mentor will be there to guide you and give advice on anything that you might feel insecure about. They will share their own experiences and what they learned from them. They will also tell you about internship opportunities and push you to your full potential.
What position would you like to hold next year in WIB? What are some of the changes you would like to see?
I have been thinking about this for a while. I want to run for the VP of Mentorship position because that is what I have always wanted to do. Slowly, I have been progressing towards the VP of Mentorship position and I feel that I am ready for the role now. When I become the VP of Mentorship, I would like to host an ATHENA event like other committees that host their own events. The purpose of this is for mentors and mentees to have an event that caters to the mentorship program. I would also like to have the manager present at the information session, so that mentors and mentees can get to know who will be managing their mentorship ahead of time.
What has been your greatest accomplishment in WIB so far?
Last year, I was the Most Valuable Member of the ATHENA committee, which was very unexpected. When Sunny was presenting the MVM award, she said that she wanted me on her committee from the start because I was always smiling and I was one of the best managers. Hearing her say that was very sweet and made me feel like I accomplished my goal as a manager.
What is your favorite memory from WIB?
My favorite memory is actually when I was going home from a WIB event with Devanshi. She gave me valuable advice that I still remember today. In order to be more noticed, she told me to start going to the club room more often, attend more events and talk to more people. Initially, it was difficult to do because I was very shy. However, soon enough, I became more active and talked to more of our club members. I will always remember her advice because I learned that being an open person is what makes people notice you.
Those who nominated you stated that you are a hard worker who goes above and beyond for your committee. We would like to know what motivates you.
I have been raised to do more than what is expected of me. Doing the bare minimum is not as satisfying as doing everything I can to benefit my committee. Doing more than what is required of me creates a positive experience for others as well as a rewarding experience for me.
What advice would you give to those that are new to WIB?
Just go for it! Do not doubt yourself or feel like you are not ready. Even if you fail or things do not go as planned, you can learn from the experience. You will be better prepared for the next opportunity that presents itself.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone who nominated me this month. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and efforts!