Mentors, Coaches, & Role Models Oh My!

As we prepare for this week's Executive Track meeting, current events spanning from the Olympics and Superbowl to the Oscars are reminding me about our last meeting topic: "What Makes a Good Mentor?"

At this session, seven students spanning from five different school districts including, Sutton, Nipmuc, Millbury, Douglas, and Milford Public Schools were in attendance.

After a guided presentation by our own Executive Director, Ashley Bregman, the students were joined by seven local industry professionals in person at our Northbridge classroom, "Hebert Hall."

According to the student worksheet, "A good mentor,

coach, or role model doesn't have to be perfect, but they should help you grow." Students were encouraged to make a list of the top 3 qualities they look for in a mentor with one sharing they seek mentors who "push me to my personal best." Reiterated in the meeting was the importance of feeling safe and heard by your mentor or coach. To that point, I think Alysa Liu has been a great role model for both younger and older generations. Not only was her hard work rewarded with a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but more importantly she reconnected with coaches who helped safely push her to achieve her personal best.

New York Times

A clarification discussed at the meeting was the difference between a coach, mentor, and role model. Often a coach is someone paid for a certain period of time with a specific speciality, whereas a mentor might be someone who invests in your growth for longer term and is more likely to come in and out of your life. Then regarding role models, I think Oscar-winner cinematographer of Sinners, Autumn Durald Arkapaw created the most accurate picture this weekend when she said to her role models in the audience, “I really want all the women in the room to stand up because I [wouldn’t be] here without you guys” (Vogue). This was one of the Academy Award highlights of 2026 and a touching example of those who are not our mentors, but who inspire us as they blaze the trail ahead.

Following the introduction to the Executive Track lesson and a discussion about mentorship, our industry professionals arrived. There was representation from several organizations including, the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, Milford Federal Bank, Sneaker Sapphire, Allen Creative, CoreXP Business Solutions, and Littler. The adults got a chance to have a brief overview of the topic and I captured a screen shot as we were in the midst of developing our own word cloud.

Students then spent one on one time with the professionals who shared experiences about their own career mentors, coaches, and role models. Students had the opportunity to ask follow-up questions and were encouraged to connect the dots with their own experiences. We ran out of time to delve deep into a group reflection, but at the bottom of the worksheet students took home with them was the following list:

• Remember, how someone makes you feel matters

• Feeling respected, safe, and heard is data

• Not every successful person is a good fit for you