Finding Inspiration through Mentorship

A college junior helps the community and discovers new passions as a participant in the Rutgers Summer Service Internship

Photo by Nick Romanenko

Photo by Nick Romanenko

As a young girl, AnnMarie Bediako embraced the Ghana Girl Guide motto: “Be Prepared.” The organization, which is very similar to the Girl Scouts, taught her to always do her best and to respect and serve others.

So when the Ghana native was offered the opportunity to mentor the young women of Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, a nonprofit network that works to support girls, she knew it would be a perfect fit. “I had been through it before in a certain way,” Bediako says. “I had enjoyed it and thought it would be nice to do something for somebody. The values just matched mine.”

The Rutgers–Camden junior double majoring in French and psychology was one of 100 students selected to participate in the inaugural year of the Rutgers Summer Service Internship (RSSI) program, an initiative of Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway that provides funding in support of public service opportunities for students.

Bediako was asked to be a program facilitator for girls going into their sophomore year of high school. Tasked with helping them understand and navigate their potential career opportunities, Bediako noticed the girls weren’t very engaged at first. “Being a program facilitator at Girls Inc. was a test of my ability,” she says. “I was always on my toes.”

Undaunted, Bediako put her heart and soul into the internship, encouraging the girls to explore their interests. She says it was especially inspiring to see the girls explore potential opportunities in STEM fields. Those types of careers tend to be lucrative and rewarding, Bediako says, but they are dominated by men. Women make up only 28 percent and minorities make up only 11 percent of those working in STEM.

 Through Girls Inc., she saw other young people willing to break down perceived barriers. “The career exploration helped the girls know that there are so many things you can do,” she says. “You don’t have the limitations that it looks like you have. You can make a way for yourself.”

 Her time as a mentor has further shaped what she would like to achieve as well. The experience ignited a new interest in leadership and inspired her to declare a minor in management. Bediako says she’s considering a master’s degree in management or a Ph.D. in organizational psychology after she finishes her bachelor’s degree.

 “My RSSI experience was life changing,” she says. “I was able to help contribute to young girls’ dreams. I was a guide to a person’s discovery of their passion, their future, and their profession.”

Bediako, at left, with fellow student Jochebed Airede, and Donna Nickitas, Rutgers–Camden’s Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, at the Rutgers Summer Service Internship (RSSI) celebration held in New Brunswick in September. Photo by Nick Romanenko.

Bediako, at left, with fellow student Jochebed Airede, and Donna Nickitas, Rutgers–Camden’s Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, at the Rutgers Summer Service Internship (RSSI) celebration held in New Brunswick in September. Photo by Nick Romanenko.

Creative Design: Beatris Santos
Photography: Nick Romanenko


Connect with Us

LinkedIn Icon Instagram Icon Facebook Icon Twitter Icon Youtube Icon Website Icon