Mentoring is about learning. For me, mentoring is a continuous circle. I am a mentor and a mentee. I hope to be a part of this continuum for as long as possible. Many mentors have shown me the way to more knowledge, open minded thinking, and the joy of learning. I have also had the honor to mentor many curious and passionate people in their search for purpose and learning. Whether I give or receive, there is something learned and shared. This allows me to be relevant, purposeful, inspired, and empathetic. The biggest benefit of mentoring is it leads to the betterment of self and community.
My mentor, Richard Tremaglio, MIT alumnus, and I have kept in active discussions for the past 33 years, since my first semester at MIT. I connected with him as my design professor, thesis advisor, my employer for one summer, professional advisor for decades, and ultimately a like-minded sensei and invaluable friend. We talk almost once a month.
Our alumni founded firm, Huang Iboshi Architecture based in San Francisco, (Gregory Iboshi, M.Arch ’94 and Emily Huang, M.Arch ’91) employed a MIT Senior in 2021 as our summer intern. Erica Liu, now a 2022 MIT alumna, worked with us both in person at our office and remotely from her parents’ home in San Jose. Paul Pettigrew at the School of Architecture and Planning matched us, and our relationship has grown from her internship to now, post-graduation. Both Greg and I are still Erica’s mentors on her career goals.
I find it especially meaningful to share my experiences with those from MIT Architecture. We share a common way of thinking, a common thread that is in our educational DNA. Our academic heritage is unique and spans the decades. It is wonderful to know that we are not alone, and we are very special.
If you want to give back to your community and to support a hopeful future, there is no better way than becoming a mentor and/or a mentee. The connection we form with each other and the values we share will give us positivity and hope. Mentoring is a gift for good.