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The Value of Mentorship
Wes Ward and Camera Ford during one-on-one mentoring time at the GSA From Camera’s perspective, being part of On To the Future was
2016 Annual Meeting. incredibly beneficial: “Having a mentor, especially one as won-
derful as Wes, made all the difference for me in getting the most
You might have read Foundation updates about GSA’s out of my GSA meeting experience. I came to the meeting know-
On To the Future initiative since the program’s incep- ing my areas of interest within geoscience, but unsure of where to
tion in 2013. We are eager to continue telling you about go next as a recent graduate with wide-ranging career and research
the progress of program alumni, as well as personal aspirations. I really appreciated his willingness to talk to me about
experiences of both students and their mentors. GSA is working his experiences in the geosciences and about my own goals, and to
steadily to increase one-on-one mentoring opportunities, while introduce me to people that he knew.
the Foundation is working steadily to obtain funding in support of
this important undertaking. “I have just graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s
degree in geology, and at the moment I am completing an intern-
Wes Ward, current GSAF Trustee, has been engaged in mentor- ship related to computer programming, web development, and
ing OTF students for two years. This is no surprise from a two- tech entrepreneurship. Moving forward, I want to apply some of
term chair of GSA’s Committee on Women and Minorities (now these skills towards my interests in geoscience research, policy,
Diversity) and two-term President of the National Association of and education.”
Black Geoscientists. Wes’s personal passion inspires his participa-
tion: “Aside from the satisfaction I get from helping students The relationships that unfold and the experiences shared
in the pipeline make their way along (as I was helped long ago), through GSA’s expanding mentor opportunities reach far beyond
I really am impressed how far GSA’s programs to aid underrepre- these brief interactions. If you would like to support these pro-
sented students have come since I started participating in the grams with funding (https://www.gsafweb.org/donate/
middle 1970s. There is an air of dedication from the professionals #fund=on-to-the-future-fund) or your time as a mentor
and a sense of preparedness and eagerness from the students that (www.geosociety.org/mentors), please find more information
makes me proud of what the Society is accomplishing. I see more at these links, or contact Bill Tortorici at +1-303-357-1007,
and more that our future is strong with the emergence of these btortorici@geosociety.org. With every additional person who
young professionals and I am delighted to engage and equip them participates, another student discovers a world of possibilities in
as they shape that future.” the geosciences.
In 2016 Wes was a mentor to recent Brown graduate Camera Camera’s tectonics field trip in the Andes in January 2016.
Ford. His time was split between talking and listening to her
one-on-one and seeking out and introducing her to researchers
in her fields of interest or from graduate schools she might wish
to attend. Wes said, “I was amazed at the drive she had in asking
for information from all those folks. She will do very well in
our profession.”
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