When Andy Nguyen got involved with the Nebraska Human Resources Institute Leadership Mentoring program last year, he was in the mindset of exploring different campus involvements rather than seeking personal growth.
“I learned very quickly this wasn't just another hobby or involvement,” Nguyen, a junior biological sciences major, said. “This was something that I can personalize and use to work on myself while also connecting with a younger student who might be facing similar difficulties and experiences.”
NHRI Leadership Mentoring pairs Husker student mentors with middle school and high school students in the Lincoln community to build bonds, share experiences and work through leadership concepts together. Founded in 1949 by William Hall and Donald Clifton, NHRI (then called the Nebraska Human Resources Research Foundation) pioneered positive psychology, the study of success and individual strengths as opposed to mental problems. After examining how well students in the program related to other people, it became clear that the students, at some point in their past, all had individuals in their lives who acted as mentors to help them identify and develop their strengths — thus, the focus on studying the effects of mentor leadership.
Nguyen and fellow mentors meet weekly with their student mentees, developing impactful relationships that create growth for everyone.
“We talk about a different NHRI concept every week, but we also just like to catch each other up on what's been going on in our lives — things we're stressed out about, things we're happy about, things we’re excited about, etc.," he said.
For Nguyen, the experience has revealed to him just how much mentors are able to grow and discover alongside their mentees.
“Initially, I thought it was going to be very much a one-way street where I would be teaching him these concepts and how he can grow as a leader and a high school student, and set himself up for success,” he said. "More than anything, it’s a two-way street: I'm teaching him and the way he reciprocates teaches me the things that I could be working on in my life, too.”
After completing his first year in the program and looking ahead, Nguyen is excited to continue working with his mentee and begin as a teaching assistant for the NHRI class. According to him, the program has noticeably impacted his habits and daily interactions.
“One of the biggest concepts we talk about is being a difference maker and just telling other people how much you appreciate them," he said. "I feel like I’m subconsciously applying these concepts and learning more about myself, but I didn't really realize how much until people started pointing it out to me.”
