Despite being part of the same Pack, Keyana Scales ’00, ’08 and Keisha White ’18 had never met until they were paired together as part of the NC State Alumni mentorship program. 

The program launched in spring 2025, and this year formed a partnership with First in the Pack, an initiative connecting first-generation college students with campus resources. Now, after their formal mentor-mentee relationship has concluded, they see each other as mutual leaders and friends.

How it Started

“Before joining the program, I did not have a woman of color to mentor me in career preparation,” White said. “I signed up for the program to connect with alumni in academia who could speak to doctoral life and were working in higher education … [Scales] made the experience great by providing the structure and space for us to talk and laugh and for me to set goals.”

Scales said that White already had a strong background. “Her résumé rivals some of the most accomplished educational professionals I’ve met throughout my career,” she noted. As a result, they set mutually agreed upon strategies that served as reminders of her accomplishments even while she pursues additional career and personal milestones.

With each conversation, Scales watched as White’s self-efficacy grew, along with a change in her mindset. “She is well positioned to use her past accomplishments as fuel to pursue and achieve even greater success,” she said.

Building Accountability and Trust

“Having Keyana listen to me without feeling judged was so refreshing,” White said. “This is why I appreciate the homework assignments she gave me. The work I put into my assignments has helped me put my personal and academic responsibilities into perspective.”

The homework that Scales created for White throughout the program wasn’t preplanned, but rather tailored using topics that emerged from their very first conversation. The program, White added, also influenced her role as an educator. “My relationship with Keyana shaped my approach to mentorship by instilling trust, a sense of belonging … and accountability, values I also want to instill in my work with students.”  

Scales agreed, “I made a promise to Keisha early in our mentorship that I would remain a part of her village even after the formal mentorship program ended. I believe my exact words were, ‘You’re stuck with me!’”

The two determined the frequency of their meetings during their first conversation and committed to communicating when time conflicts prevented them from connecting. Scales said, “At its core, the mentorship worked because we realized that both of us were serious about our meetings and that we could count on each other to show up.”

How it Concluded

White wrapped up her time as a mentee by inviting Scales to attend her Ph.D. dissertation defense. “I wanted Keyana there,” she said. “Keyana’s encouragement was an additional source of motivation as I reached my dissertation finish line.”

To receive that invitation to such a significant personal milestone as a dissertation defense meant everything to Scales, solidifying in her mind that their time together in the program had mattered significantly to White. “To have earned her trust and friendship in such a short amount of time is an honor. I look forward to many more celebratory moments,” Scales said.

Scales considers a defining factor of the NC State Alumni mentorship program to be mutual respect and accountability. “Keisha knew that, at minimum, she could depend on me to do two things: show up for our meetings and assign her homework,” she said. 

“For first-generation participants like me, mentors provide valuable support in developing key skills such as networking, goal setting and career exploration,” White explained in closing. “First-generation participants benefit from seeing other first-generation alumni who are successful in their careers and who pay it forward by supporting other members of the Pack. This is why I want to become an alumni mentor.”