By Nate Knapper
For me, Thanksgiving has traditionally been a time to thank God for the blessings of family, food, and football.
But this year, I also find myself giving thanks for an individual who has chosen to invest a great deal of himself in me. He is my mentor. His name is Kendall.
Kendall Wingrove has no time for mentoring – or at least he shouldn’t. A long-time resident of East Lansing, Wingrove has been a dedicated employee of the State of Michigan for more than 25 years. Several years ago, he served as a staffer in the Michigan House of Representatives, and he is currently employed by the Senate Communications Office.
In addition to his governmental responsibilities, Wingrove serves the Michigan Historical Society, writes freelance newspaper articles, attends church regularly, and provides for a family of three. His wife Molly is also a state employee, his son Ethan plays travel soccer, and his daughter Catherine participates in dance.
A full life, right?
Not quite. You see, Wingrove has a passion for interns. Over the past two years, he has tirelessly developed an innovative student intern program at the Michigan Capitol called ‘Curriculum Beyond the Classroom? (CBC). Through this program, Wingrove makes time to teach the principles of professionalism to the next generation, arranging for students to meet with a variety of well-established governmental colleagues and private-sector employees.
I have greatly benefited under Wingrove’s ‘Curriculum.? I knew very little about the legislative process when I began interning at the Michigan Capitol in early 2006, and I was afraid of failure.
Despite my fear and inexperience, however, I had one thing going for me ? Wingrove was my mentor. He gave me the tools for success, preaching those ‘lost art? principles that always seem to earn people’s respect ? composing thank-you notes, showing up on time, and following through with stated commitments. By following Wingrove’s advice and working hard on daily projects, I completed successful internships at a variety of government offices downtown.
Wingrove, who just celebrated his 50th birthday on Sunday, is a reason why people from my generation have hope for success. Mentors are role models. Many are unknown, but in the time of ‘no time,? they invest themselves in others, seeing the potential for extraordinary returns.
Many years ago, a group of Pilgrims came to America, and they would have starved to death had it not been for a group of Indians who came alongside them and taught them the skills for survival.
As we pause this holiday season to remember their story, may we also give thanks for mentors, who daily give of themselves to promote the progress of the next generation.
Nate Knapper, of Clarkston, is currently a senior at Calvin College.