A Mentor Made All the Difference for Gena Willis - How She Pays It Forward | November 2023
“Mentorship shaped who I am as a professional and my desire to work in higher education.”
Gena Willis knows firsthand how important mentors can be. Willis is the new assistant director of Affinity Programs and Leadership Development in the Multicultural Center for Academic Success (MCAS).
She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s in higher education and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Change at SUNY Empire State University. But during her first year at City University of New York (CUNY), she almost dropped out of college had a mentor not stepped in.
“I have had many great mentors in my life, and there is one who I believe stands out the most! Mrs. Sameea Perkins, or as I knew her before she was married Ms. Belle. Ms. Belle came into my life when I was a freshman in college in the SEEK program, the City University of New York (CUNY) version of HEOP. I met Ms. Belle as a result of my walking into the director of SEEK’s office and telling her I was dropping out. You see, I was a single mom going to school and living on public assistance. My goal was to get a bachelor’s degree so I could get a decent job and provide for myself and my daughter. Unfortunately, the department of social services (DSS) did not support clients going to four-year schools. I was given an ultimatum and I had to make a decision, I could either transfer to a community college or get a job because DSS was not going to support me while I attended a four-year college. The director of SEEK introduced me to Ms. Belle and explained my situation. Ms. Belle’s reaction was to get her bag and coat and say let’s go. Ms. Belle walked with me (about two miles) to the DSS office, sat and waited with me, and spoke on my behalf to the DSS staff to make sure I could stay in school. She never once made me feel like a burden or it was too much for her. She simply replied to my concerns with “it’s okay”. From that day on I was able to stay in college and Ms. Belle continued to be a major support for me.”
Since then, Willis has spent almost a decade in higher education, mentoring students, most recently at SUNY Brockport where, among many other student facing roles, she was senior counselor for the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). She joined RIT’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion in October. As assistant director of Affinity Programs and Leadership in MCAS, she will lead two longtime student leadership programs, MOCHA (Men of Color, Honor and Ambition) and WOCHA (Women of Color, Honor and Ambition), the first time one person will oversee both programs.
Willis says helping students develop leadership skills has always been important to her.
“Since I arrived on campus, I have heard from the WOCHA students and alum about the excitement for the return of WOCHA and the expectations of the program to run as well as its counterpart MOCHA. Having the unique opportunity to run both programs allows me the space to do just that. With that at the forefront of my mind one of my main goals is to work to ensure equity as we push to further develop both programs. Understanding the importance of leadership and the role of women in the workforce, especially in the STEAM fields which tend to be male dominated, one of my goals is to help foster a healthy understanding of self-confidence, self-worth and life-long education in the WOCHA women, which will elevate them to become strong, confident, and more than capable women. Another goal I have is to increase the amount of students and mentors participating in the WOCHA program”.
They’re off to a great start. The new WOCHA and MOCHA cohorts are in place with a total of 37 students and they’ve already taken part in several gatherings including a Dale Carnegie training workshop.
WOCHA and MOCHA run one academic year. They are open to undergraduate students between their second and fifth years of study and offer students opportunities to develop a variety of skills including leadership, wellness and community engagement.
When it comes to wellness, Willis is a good role model. Her interests include nature walks, playing chess, baking cakes and singing karaoke. But she keeps that lesson from Ms. Belle in the forefront of all she does.
“As a professional in higher education I have worked hard to be a ‘Ms. Belle’ to my students, to go above and beyond as if it’s a part of my job without complaint, to support the students I serve however I can on their journey so they can make it through. Mentorship shaped who I am as a professional and my desire to work in higher education.”
She is paying it forward and the following WOCHA/MOCHA students can benefit from that commitment.
WOCHA: Fifth-year student Maameyaa Asiamah who is majoring in biochemistry, Omowunmi Ayangbayi, third-year, majoring in applied arts and sciences (SOIS) with a focus on advertising, public relations and marketing, Keira Carrington, a fifth-year cybersecurity major, third-year student Angelis Cordero, a robotics and manufacturing engineering technology major, Shaneil Da Silva, fifth-year, packaging science MS, Danell Francis, fourth-year global business management, fourth-year mechanical engineering technology major Nayely Gonzales, Guerline Guerrier, third-year biomedical sciences, third-year chemistry major Trinity Jenkins, fourth-year student Jada Jennings, a management information systems major, Morgan Lopez, third-year biochemistry, Angelina Myles, a second-year student majoring in electrical engineering: artificial intelligence, Faatihah Nayeem, fourth-year biotechnology and molecular bioscience major, third-year graphic design major Syeda Nushrat, Darnae Pauley, fourth-year criminal justice, Mya Richardson, fourth-year computer science and third-year student Keren Skeete who is also a computer science major.
MOCHA: Fourth-year students Bryant Cromartie, a biology major and Addo Davies Jr., a software engineering major, Joshua Derosier, a second-year computer engineering major, Scott Franco, fourth- year marketing; management information systems, fifth-year student Jeffrey Garzon who is majoring in computer security, Keith Grant, fourth-year biology, second-year student Brandon Hernandez, a mechanical engineering technology major, fourth-year students Mohammad Islam, mechanical engineering, Joseph Jimenez, new media design, Anthony Morelos, biotechnology and molecular bioscience and Brian D Morgan, computer engineering technology, fifth-year student Promise Omiponle, computer engineering, Oluwaseyi Onifade, fourth-year applied arts and science (SOIS), Dariel Ravelo-Ramos, third-year game design and development, Jahaad Shairi, fourth-year film production, TasJohn Terry, third-year electrical engineering technology, fourth-year students Sedrick Thomas, management information systems and Timothy Thornton II, mechanical engineering technology, Jaharie Waterman-Jordan, third-year robotics and manufacturing engineering tech major and Siare Williams, a fourth-year computer engineering technology major.