NW Valley Times

Grace Harney, a senior at Grand Canyon University's Colangelo College of Business, has found confidence and experience through the Women in Business club's mentorship program. Now, she is ready to give back by becoming a mentor herself. "I do feel more comfortable," Harney stated before attending a recent mentor training meeting. She attributed her newfound confidence to completing two internships.

The Women in Business club is one of the largest on campus with 738 members. Its success is partly due to its strong mentor training program. "I feel like as a business major, as a woman, it's kind of daunting because the business world is kind of filled with powerful men," Harney expressed. The club aims to empower women in business.

Maggy Boyce, Director of Mentorship for the club, values how older students supported her during her freshman year. She now plays an active role in connecting new students with mentors. During the first mentor training session, Boyce invited Harley Hawk Harris, the club's first director of mentorship, to speak to about 80 potential mentors.

"As soon as WIB started the first (mentor program), Harley was someone who was always kind to me," said Boyce. Hawk Harris emphasized punctuality and creating safe spaces for mentees during her talk.

Boyce's decision to include Hawk Harris in the training underscores its importance; Harris holds bachelor's and master's degrees from GCU and serves as a development officer there.

Mentors are not only encouraged to offer words of support but also engage in monthly meetups where they can share professional skills and knowledge using workbooks designed for this purpose.

Senior Jadyn St. John shared insights into what undergraduates might need based on her experiences as both a mentee at an accounting software company and an accounting tutor on campus.

GCU News Senior Writer Mark Gonzales contributed this report.