84.51° Celebrates National Mentoring Month

It’s often said that mentoring is the gift that keeps on giving. Pairing up with a mentor who shares knowledge of the business and industry expertise helps mentees accelerate their professional growth, perform better in their role and feel a greater sense of belonging. Mentors benefit from new perspectives and ideas through conversations with mentees, the expansion of their network and the opportunity to fine-tune their coaching and talent development skills.

At 84.51°, a key part of our vibrant company culture is mentoring. Many of our associates are active mentors and/or mentees in company-focused programs as well as community programs. From advising new hires to serving our community, we value opportunities to help others thrive. Mentorship programs that we are involved in include:

• Women in Tech Leadership program – Empowering women technologists to succeed in their careers by offering mentors, coaching workshops and other resources.

• The Power Squad – Supporting diverse female talent in the leadership pipeline with a peer support network and much more.

• The Development Program – 84.51° associates provide newly hired graduate students with guidance and advice as they go through onboarding.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters – As part of Degrees of Giving, associates spend time with children facing adversity, helping them with schoolwork and other activities, developing positive relationships.

• Oyler School – As a Degrees of Giving charity, associates meet with students between 1st through 4th grade once a week and help them improve their reading and math levels and build self-confidence.

As a new hire, having a tech mentor has been a highly valuable experience, says Sam Tavalali, a data scientist in Commercial Insights & Loyalty. “It expedited my learning process and made me feel like I had a lot of support,” he says. “Although I’ve moved on from the Development program, I still meet with my mentors every few months to catch up.”

Engineering Leader Tony Gast has been with the company for 14+ years and is a mentor for Women in Tech and other programs. As a mentor he enjoys gaining new perspectives and the opportunity to connect with colleagues he might not otherwise meet. “I am always learning as a mentor,” he says.

Check out our video to hear more about what our associates value about mentoring.