Mentors 'catch journalists before they fall'

By Kristen Go
Education reporter, The Arizona Republic, Phoenix

06.30.02

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Kristen Go

"Thanks so much! I was having kind of a bummer day, and then I looked at your note and it made me feel so much better!"

I’ll admit it. The reasons I mentor are a bit selfish. The quote comes from an exchange I had with a young woman I’ve mentored for sixth months. I was giving her feedback on stories she’d written.

Her comments put a smile on my face. Her comments make me believe that I can make a difference. Her comments give me hope that one by one we can help improve the retention rate of minority journalists.

The retention rate of minority journalists isn’t nearly what it should be, bottom line. Too many young journalists walk into newsrooms without any support. The mentoring program is a safety net. We’re there to catch these journalists before they fall.

I, like many others, have thought of quitting journalism. What’s made a difference is having someone to turn to. I mentor because I feel it’s time to give back. I’ll be there as a safety net just as others have been there to catch me before I’ve stumbled.

Kristen Go was a Chips Quinn Scholar in 1996 and 1997.

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