Sanofi and Raritan Valley Community College
This year has certainly been one of firsts and we all have had to adjust the way we work with our colleagues and external stakeholders. That is no different for our Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) Mentoring Program in Bridgewater, NJ. Our dedicated employees who volunteered their time over the last school year had to move from in-person mentoring sessions with the students to virtual ones. And for the first time ever, we had to change the closing ceremony to a celebratory ZOOM presentation!
Sanofi has been proud to partner with RVCC for the past 3 years on this program and the closing ceremony gives participants a chance to reflect on all the accomplishments of the dedicated mentors and mentees. Many of the students who take part in the program are first-generation college attendees, so the time spent working with our Sanofi colleagues is extremely meaningful. Clint Wallace, Head of HR, North America took some time to address the group at this year's ceremony. "I've said this before and it holds true, Sanofi's focus on Empowering Life describes our purpose of making a difference in people's lives. You are doing the same thing here at RVCC – you are changing people's lives."
That impact was clearly evident as we heard from each mentee on what the program meant to them. One student in particular truly captured the impact that his mentor has made on his life. "Growing up I was never given much help or guidance when trying to piece together my future, so I became reluctant to ask for help. After entering the Sanofi Mentorship Program that all quickly changed. After just a few short minutes of conversation with my mentor, Rekha Law, Senior Director, Compliance I could tell that she genuinely cared about me and wanted to benefit my future. I would not be the person I am today without this program, and especially without Rekha."
The program also benefits Sanofi mentors by giving them the opportunity to use their skills and experience to give back. Donna Cusano, Director Field Communications, DCV Strategy and Operations said "I knew the minute I met my mentee that we would be a perfect match. She reminded me of my younger self so filled with energy, passion, spirit and ambition, and ready to take on any challenge that came her way." Donna also gave her mentee some personal words of wisdom, "Don't be afraid to dream big; Don't let a lack of the "right" credentials hold you back; Find partners and mentors to help you go farther; Stay focused on the end goal; Be brave; Define success your way; Always have balance—it's great to work hard and be successful; but it's important to have fun, laugh and stay connected to those people in your life that helped shape who you are today."
Words we can all live by! If you would like to find out more about becoming a mentor for 2020/2021 please contact Sharon.katz@sanofi.com.
