NAF Alumni Mentorship Program Spotlight: Mentor and Mentee Pair, Ramon Reyes and Stanley Bazelais

A major benefit of being part of the NAF Alumni Network is having the opportunity to join the Alumni Mentorship Program. Since 2020, this program has provided meaningful mentoring experiences for college-aged individuals, who completed their academy program and have moved into the postsecondary phase of their lives. The program also offers seasoned alumni professionals a chance to reconnect with NAF and make a difference in a student’s life and career.

The current iteration began with an orientation session back in April and nearly 40 mentor/mentee pairs have met once a month for an hour since May and will continue through December. Recently, we were excited to catch up with mentor and mentee pair, Ramon Reyes and Stanley Bazelais!

Read on to hear more about what Ramon and Stanley had to stay, as they reflected on their time together:

Q: How has the mentor/mentee experience been for you so far?

Ramon: Stanley has been great to chat with! I think I am getting just as much from our conversations as he is. We have had discussions about business, life, sports, and so many other things. 

Stanley: The mentee experience has been really good! So far, I have learned a lot from my mentor and will continue to gain more as we go along.

Q: Why did you want to participate in the NAF Alumni Mentorship program to begin with?  

R: I consider myself a byproduct of NAF. I felt compelled to give back and mentor others in a similar way to the mentorship I received so many years ago. Selfishly, I also try to mentor high school and college students such that they consider a career in hospitality.  

S: I participated in the NAF Alumni Mentorship program because I love learning from other people and taking advice from them to apply to my own life. My grandfather, on my mother’s side, is close to 90 years old and I still love talking to him, because I believe there are still a lot of things that I can glean from him.

Q: Ramon, what are you getting out of the program and what do you hope your mentee, Stanley, will take away from this experience?

R: As noted previously, I am getting a great deal out of the program. It is so inspiring to see a young man with so much passion, potential, and desire to help others. Stanley comes from a similar background as I do. We are both children of immigrants. It is great to see his growth and passion at such a young age and it brings back memories for me.  

Q: Stanley, same question, but can you talk about how what you are getting out of the program will apply to your future, in terms of your college and career journey?

S: In terms of my college and career journey, I am so fortunate to be a part of this program. I am a first-generation student, which means my parents did not have the chance to get to the college level, even though the way my mother talks to me sometimes makes it feel like she has been there (laughs)!  She is so smart and has such a loving heart for her children. I do believe that because of this program, I will learn a lot of things that are going to help me grow as a person and as a student. 

Q: It’s no secret that the Hospitality & Tourism industry has been impacted the most by COVID-19. Ramon, what has encouraged you about the future of the industry and filling open jobs that you may have touched on with Stanley?

R: You are right! Our industry was hit hard by the pandemic, and we lost many of our great associates. I am confident that we can rebuild our staffing and pipeline, by participating in programs like NAF. We need to cultivate talent for the future, even if that takes a few years. This is an industry that most fall into and subsequently fall in love with. I consider it a personal goal to share my story with as many students as possible and help them find their passion, whether that is in hospitality or not.

Q: Stanley, what are some of the skills you’ve developed and how do you think they’ll continue to support your growth?

S: Some of the skills that I have developed are my communication skills, leadership skills, collaboration skills, and critical thinking skills. Obviously, communication is a crucial skill that I need to continue developing, because it will help me in my journey — especially in the business field.

Q: What is the most enjoyable part of the program, and would you recommend it to others?

R: I really enjoy my conversations with Stanley! I recently shared my book with him and look forward to chatting through his observations. He is such a talented young man and I consider it a privilege to be mentoring him.  

S: I will say the most enjoyable part for me in the program was when I started to learn about my mentor. We both have a lot of things in common, which honestly makes me feel more comfortable talking to him and learning from him. I will recommend this program, because there are a lot of students out there who desire to have a mentor who can help guide their journeys.

To learn more about how to join the NAF Alumni Network and get involved, click here!

NAF was also thrilled to recently announce its partnership with Verizon to pilot our *NEW* Corporate Mentoring program exclusively for NAF alumni aged 18-25 this fall! An offshoot of our popular NAF Alumni Mentorship Program, this experience will pair NAF alumni with Verizon employees. Mentors and mentees will go through an orientation and then meet once a month for six months, beginning in October. Stay tuned this fall for updates!

Additionally, click here to access the NAF Alumni LinkedIn Group, and as an Alumni, you can stay connected with our amazing network. Check out NAF’s Alumni LinkedIn Group to find ways to volunteer, get further connected, inspire current students, and more.