Jay and Patty Baker have a simple message that they live by and share with everyone they meet: Give back. It doesn’t have to be money, it can be time, but always be giving back, they say. So when FIT’s Baker Scholars established their new mentorship program in November of last year, pairing 25 students with 25 Baker Scholar alumni, the first to sing the program’s praises were, of course, the Bakers themselves.
“I think it’s an inspiration for the students to see professionals around in the world offering their services as a guide and as a listener,” said Patty Baker when she and Jay during their biannual visit with the Baker Scholars in late April. The husband-and-wife philanthropists, after whom FIT’s School of Business and Technology is named, established the program in 2002, supporting 40 students annually with scholarships based on financial need.
“You can give back in different ways,” Jay added. “One is your time being a mentor, one is to give scholarships, and one is to do both.”
The mentorship program is the brainchild of Ramona Dunlap, assistant professor of Fashion Business Management, and Kristy Fall, assistant professor of Marketing Communications, who both now serve as advisors. Working in collaboration with Shannon Maher, dean of the School of Business and Technology, they paired current students with alums to talk about their professional journeys, provide career advice, develop strong interpersonal “soft skills,” and build confidence.
“You have to see it to believe it,” Dunlap said. “For a lot of the Baker Scholars, having this type of mentorship program really shows them what’s possible.”
“There was a big need for this,” said Fall. “And we heard that alumni really loved re-engaging at FIT, giving back, and that Jay and Patty had instilled those values in them.”
But what has been surprising to many of the mentors is how the relationship has enhanced their own lives and work. Ifedinachi Obi, a Fashion Business Management major in the process of switching to Advertising and Marketing Communications, was paired with Lindsay Alexander, Brand Content Studio team lead at Mars Petcare. Both are first-time participants to a mentor-mentee experience—and both are getting much out of it that they didn’t expect.
The mentorship began while Obi was still mulling over the major switch. “A lot of things were upside-down in my career path, so it was really good timing, and it was also helpful because Lindsay initiated the meetings and was really present and helped to keep me on my toes.”
“Every time we talk, I’m learning something,” Alexander added. “She’s in the ‘boots on the ground’ generation that’s coming up in content, in fashion, in media in New York City. People like me have to watch about not getting stuck and doing things the same way over and over.”
Another pairing is Nicole Gehan, operations manager at XMONDO Hair, and Jia Mei Lin, a Direct and Interactive Marketing major. They get together once a month and chat through opportunities and challenges.
“Our initial conversation started mainly around interviewing skills,” Gehan recalled. “One thing that I emphasized for Jia Mei is that she’s really great at asking questions. And I think where some of the support came in was in answering questions.”
Over time, Lin has grown to trust Gehan as a true mentor and confidant. “I often will let Nicole know what my real thoughts are, things I don’t feel comfortable sharing with others.”
The advisors want to continue to expand and build the program based on data from feedback surveys.
“Jay and Patty really appreciate that they can see how they’ve impacted people’s lives,” Fall said. “Having these alumni come back and share and give back in service is just building on their principles.”