“From talking about what makes up medicinal chemistry, to making sure that was what I really wanted to pursue, to small things,” she said. “Like, ‘Is this wording, or is this terminology correct?’ Having someone there for that reassurance, that really helped my confidence levels.”
The mentorship program, which is advertised through the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), also includes career-related skills, such as resume and CV writing, networking and communication workshops, along with self-assessment seminars, which Christina found helpful.
“They assessed our goals, then focused on finding, refining and using our strengths to accomplish those goals,” she said. “That was one of the eye-opening seminars for me, and it really worked.”
Real Benefits for Mentees and Mentors
As well as the overall benefits for the mentee, Jesus mentioned how mentoring not only fits in with his personal desires to give back, but also fits in with the mission of his work, day in and day out. “What keeps me motivated at the end of the day, is that I’ve always wanted to do something to help people,” he said. “Whether that’s going into the lab and designing the next generation of medicines to help patients, or whether that’s inspiring the next generation of Latino and Latina scientists, I feel lucky to be with an organization like BMS that encourages me to explore my many passions – and give back.”
Jesus’ world at BMS is one in which pragmatism and aspiration can live comfortably side by side, as he again spoke of the generation following him. “This mentorship program is the type of initiative that has benefits all around,” he said. “Sure, there are business objectives being met: BMS would love to have someone like Christina return once their education is complete. But bringing more diverse talent to BMS is a long-term commitment, and inspiring the next generation to stay excited about science is incredibly fulfilling.”
Next Steps: From Mentorship to a BMS Co-op Program
While participating in the OLA Mentorship Program as an undergraduate student, Christina applied for a Co-op Program with Small Molecule Drug Development and was accepted; she concurrently worked at BMS while completing her undergraduate degree in Chemistry. Come the fall semester, she'll begin her doctoral studies in Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles. It’s a situation that sounds like a perfect next step for her career journey.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” she said. “BMS is such a positive and friendly environment where we eat lunch together, there are different ongoing events, a great work/life balance, all the different Resource Groups, and getting to know all these chemists and scientists inside and outside our department; you really feel connected by the work.”
Could You Benefit from a Mentorship Program?
Once again, Jesus touched on the OLA Mentorship Program as a pathway to diversity. “But diversity comes in a lot of flavors,” he said. “We need to commit to the next generation of scientists and assess all the different things they can bring to the table, because there isn’t just cultural diversity. There’s diversity of thought, geographic and educational diversity. We’ve benefitted from bringing people from all walks of life to our department, and it’s worked really well.”
If you’d like to explore more about what it’s like to work at BMS and see the entire range of our early career programs, click here to learn more.
