The goal of the Rotaract Mentorship Program is for Rotaractors to obtain support and information related to their roles and to foster an understanding related to the Rotaract/Rotary experience. Each Rotaract member will be paired with an Edina Club Rotary member. The Rotarian mentor has experience in a similar role to the Rotaract mentee and shares specific Rotarian knowledge and information to enhance the Rotaract member's overall club experience. During the last few Rotaract mentor/mentee exchanges the following perspectives were shared. Rotaract Mentee, Marge Kajer, wrote:
Like many of the members of the Edina Rotaract Club, I am a recent college graduate. This new chapter of our lives that we have begun to establish – fondly and colloquially referred to as ‘adulting’ - can be daunting. And although we are done with the exams, grades and group projects, we realize that our education never stops. My most recent lesson, and perhaps the most valuable, is that there is always something to learn from our encounters with others. Cue Edina Rotaract Club and the Rotary Mentorship Night. It was inspiring to see so many Rotarians - a business owner, a journalist, a realtor- eager to engage with our Rotaract Club. Individuals across sectors and industries came to share advice, stories, dialogue and questions. That evening I learned to never stop asking questions. It was an opportunity to connect in a meaningful and impactful way as well as a reminder that our possibilities are endless. We can steer this new chapter in whatever direction we choose, and as we go, this community of support, wisdom and guidance will be there along the way.
Mentor, Katy Koch Campbell, shared her perspective.
“What’s a great question you ask?” My new Rotaract Club friend posed this, curious about my experience interviewing people in my career writing for newspapers and magazines. Great question! What a meaningful conversation this inspired at our table at the first mentorship night. Another Rotaractor at the table, age 22 and a recent college graduate, said he has a question he likes to ask when it appears a buddy is not in a good place: “What’s keeping you up at night?” We all savored the depth and importance of that one. His question for our table was, “What’s a good question to break the ice in a social conversation?” One suggestion was to ask a knowledge question in an area of known expertise, which would presumably be within a person’s comfort zone. What was my “great question?” I shared a favorite that had been asked of me once during a job interview. “What books are on top of your nightstand, waiting for you to read?” What are your great questions, Rotarians?
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are embarking on starting and supporting a Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30. Usually meetings will be held at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at The Mezz. Each meeting will feature a speaker and focus on service projects in alignment with Rotary’s mission of “Service Above Self.” Please contact Rotarian Sam Thompson at sthompson@transitionsib.com with any question or comment regarding the Rotaract Club and mentorship program.