Associate Professor
Romance Languages and Literatures
acgraves@buffalo.edu
Mentoring is a bond with future colleagues who are still in their formative years. I find that the contact with junior scholars is energizing and thought provoking, and often gives me a positive feeling. I endured a grueling graduate school experience, often filled with doubts and hesitations that an unforgiving academic environment did little to assuage. I survived, though; and you can too! However, no one said you have to go at it alone! I'm a compassionate ear, a truth teller, an ass-kicker and a cheerleader; we all need this kind of motivation in our lives at different points. The trick is knowing when the moment for each has arrived. The best part of mentoring is the part when you get to help the mentee prepare to be a good mentor.