Mercyhurst College

Adam Hicks

"Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends…"
The Beatles

I believe that the most vital aspect to an individual's success is the support of a mentor. Life is a difficult journey full of invisible twists and turns and the individual requires assistance, whether from friend or family, in completing their passage.

When I was in middle school, I transferred to three different schools. The experience was exciting at first, until I realized that my previous friends were gone. The feeling of being a social outcast, simply for not attending the school in years past, was extremely painful. It was during this time that I first reached out to my family for more than just advice on my homework. In this period I learned a vital lesson, no matter how young or old, each person has wisdom to offer.

From my father, Michael, I learned the value of selfless hard work and dedication in every task I take. From my mother, Sheila, I learned to care, and more importantly to verbalize that support to others. My brother, Kyle, changed my life with a simple question, "Why do you only care what other people think about you? You need to care more about how you see yourself." Finally, my younger sister Paige showed me the everlasting depths of courage that each individual retains in their heart. Through her life- long battle with her Juvenile Arthritis, a crippling disease, she continues to smile and face every day with unfaltering positivism. Family members are a shining example of mentors: they are there to offer a kind word or a helping hand, and they remain your closest friends even when others are gone.

In college, with the majority of students far from home, friends and teachers form the base of mentors. I remember moving in my freshmen year, alone and nervous of the social interactions, but I was immediately welcomed by the other residents of third floor McAuley Hall. To this day, four years later, many of us still live together and remain in close contact, supporting each other though the difficult times serving as mutual mentors.

The knowledge that another individual cares is extremely powerful; it can mean the difference between studying for the next exam or dropping out of school completely. It can also mean the difference between life and death. A mentor offering care and support may have, given a student new hope, possibly preventing a horrible tragedy like what recently occurred on the Virginia Tech campus. In experiencing the pain of being socially ostracized first hand, I believe that such drastic measures are a desperate cry for a helping hand. The violent actions are a call for help, a plea for a mentor, for anybody, to reach out with a kind word or an act of compassion.

Therefore, I challenge the reader, be it a coach, student, teacher, administrator, or even family member, to reach out to those on the social fringe and positively acknowledge them. Becoming a mentor does not require more than a minute of your time; it is as simple as saying "hello," and may have a resounding reaction in the life of another. I am personally in debt to the strong support of mentors throughout my life; I only wish that through this essay their message of hope and positive reinforcement persists. "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies in us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

About Adam Hicks

Adam Hicks is a Senior Intelligence Studies Major, with Minors in Russian Studies and Religious Studies. He has secured a position with Northup Grumman and will begin working in Northern Virginia in July. When asked about her favorite aspect of Mercyhurst, Adam replied: "My favorite aspect of the college is the small size, allowing students to connect with teachers on a personal level. The fact that teachers know who I am, and not just my name, is an extremely positive attribute and a testament to their skills."

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