Mentorship program makes 100th match

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: LARRY MYNY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Sean Irvine (left) is mentoring Fanshawe Broadcast Journalism student Justin Duckett (right) through the Larry Myny Mentorship Program. Larry Myny (centre) was proud to present them as the 100th match made for 2012.

The Larry Myny Mentorship Program has been connecting Fanshawe students with industry professionals for over six years, making over 400 matches in that time.

In 2012 alone, the program made over 100 matches. "We're happy to have the most matches that we've ever had in the program before," said Derek Collins- Newman, the program's coordinator. "I'm looking forward to some excellent reviews and feedback in the spring."

The 100th match was made between Justin Duckett, currently completing his graduate certificate in Broadcast Journalism at Fanshawe, and Sean Irvine, a weekend anchor for CTV News in London and Windsor

"I get to sit down with Sean and meet once every week (or two). He can look at my schoolwork that I've done, and we can talk about it and (he) can tell me ways to improve," Duckett explained. "When you sit down and talk to someone who's been in … (the journalism industry) for 20-plus years, it seems like anything he would say I can just soak in and learn."

Irvine, who graduated from Fanshawe's Broadcast Journalism program in the early 1990s, said he saw the mentorship program as "an opportunity to give back to the school that I learned a lot of the practical skills I use every day from."

Most of the program's mentorships run from September to April. Irvine and Duckett will have a shortened mentorship, since they were paired up in December and Duckett will be moving to Toronto in March to complete an internship at Global TV. Despite the fact that their time will be cut a bit short, Irvine had big plans for the mentorship. He said he planned to give Duckett firsthand accounts of what it's like to be a journalist by talking about his own career path. He added that he will also give Duckett a tour of the CTV facilities to show him what it's like to be in a real newsroom. "He has a wide variety of interests as to where he might want to end up (after graduation), so it'll be an opportunity for him to not only see what I do but what others within the station facility do."

Duckett said he was looking forward to working with Irvine. "Sean seems like a really nice guy ... It's really cool that he's willing to help out in this; he has no obligation to do this, he's the one who offered and wants to help us out."

The Larry Myny Mentorship Program matches Fanshawe students with mentors in their industry — often Fanshawe grads themselves. Collins-Newman said he takes many factors into consideration when making a match, including the student's program, where they see themselves going in the future, their age, and what the student is looking for in a mentor. "Personality as well — I get to know the mentor and the mentee separately, so I kind of get to know their personalities and I try to match up which would be the best fit in terms of personality."

Duckett said he would recommend the program to "anyone who's serious about their schoolwork and serious about getting the most they can out of the short time we are in school. It seems like there's no downside to doing it; there are only positives that can come of doing it. It doesn't take up very much of your time, you can learn a ton and meet people in the industry."

The Larry Myny Mentorship Program debuted as a pilot project called the Fanshawe College Alumni Association Mentoring Edge in September 2004, officially launching under the Mentoring For Success name in September 2005. In 2011, the program gained the sponsorship of Larry Myny, Vice President and senior investment advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy.

The Larry Myny Mentorship Program is not currently accepting applications, but will reopen in September. For more information about the program, check out mentoringfanshawe.com.