Meet one of the Youth Mentoring Collaborative's Consultants, Susan Everhart. Follow along with this interview between Susan and Hannah McKinney, Manager of Communications & Storytelling.
The Interview
Q. How did you first hear about the Youth Mentoring Collaborative (YMC)? HM
A. "I had worked with Malenia [YMC's Vice President of Community Engagement] in the past when she worked with Communities in Schools of Durham. We met for coffee, and I agreed to join as a consultant." (SE)
Q. Who was an influential mentor in your life? (HM)
A. "An influential mentor for me was Linda Harrill, who was the founding President of Communities In Schools of North Carolina. She took a chance hiring me way back in 1990 and has been a supporter, cheerleader, and friend ever since - thirty-two (32) years!" (SE)
Q. Why is mentoring so important? (HM)
A. "Mentored youth can overcome the odds. I believe that people who take on this kind of work deserve all the support they can as it is hard, and often solitary, to get a mentoring organization up and running." (SE)
Q. Which of YMC's values do you feel most personally aligned with? (HM)
A. "Relationships. Every success story I have heard or read has, at its core, a significant relationship - a trusting, caring one-on-one relationship that endured for a significant period of time." (SE)
Q. What about YMC's future excites you the most? (HM)
A. "I am excited to be a part of YMC because the current state of the world is in such disarray. More than ever, youth need to be connected to rational individuals to assure them that they have personal strengths and can make the world a better place for themselves, their families, and larger communities." (SE)
Q. What strengths do you bring to the table as a consultant? (HM)
A. "I'd have to say my strengths are in grant proposal development and community building." (SE)
Q. What's a fun fact about you? (HM)
A. "I have five (5) sisters and am learning to play the accordion." (SE)
This concludes the interview. To learn more about Susan and the rest of the team, visit Our Team.