This is why mentors need to be plural: My (former) student Keidy’s number 1 strength is problem solving, we learned when she took the Strengths Finder 2.0 test the other day.
The analysis warned against trying to solve other people’s problems—I get it! — I’m a problem solver too. I suggested that Keidy focus on solving the problem of where to go to college and how to afford it. Thus advised a liberal arts major.
At that point, my neighbor stopped by. “Problem solver?! exclaimed Dr. Ozden Ochoa. “That’s exactly what engineers do. You should be an engineer.” Ozden, a recently retired professor of aeronautical materials engineering at Texas A&M, still presents at international conferences.
I interjected: “I know about a scholarship for Hispanic women in engineering.”
Next step: Where to find $400+ for Keidy to take an aptitude test (not an interest test!) to see what her discrete skills are, ie whether she has the various spatial skills she’d need. Mine score between .001 to 30%. But I’m off the charts on ideas.