I have often wondered why Asian Americans are the highest-income,
best-educated and fastest-growing racial group in the United States. In
many ways, I share their experiences. Like 74% of them, I was also born
abroad; and like half of them, I will say, I speak English very well.
Some other statistics and comparisons are also interesting and for some people,
may explain why Asian Americans are more successful. More than six-in-ten
adults ages 25 to 64 who have come from Asia in recent years have at least a
bachelor’s degree. I had a Master’s degree when I came to the United
States in 1984.
In spite of all the reasons cited
above, I used to struggle to explain why Asian Americans do better than any
other race. This is because I didn’t believe that the reason for my
success was the education that I had when I entered the country. Being
unable to explain, I could not share my experiences and help my brethren in my adopted
country. I found that being an excellent teacher in the classroom was not
enough. Something more was always needed to help my students become
successful.
That was until I attended a “College
Fair” in South Carolina in the fall of 1992, a few months after my by-pass
surgery. I remember speaking with a tall boy for about 10 minutes about
his career plans. He had a good GPA and sounded quite intelligent but
kept insisting that he did not want to go to college but instead wanted to become
a truck driver. I was disappointed and made it a point to raise it with his
teacher whom I had known for some time. She told me that David’s mother
was a single parent. David was a loner whose only male role model was his
mom’s boyfriend who was a truck driver. She explained the need for and
the dearth of male role models for African American boys in the South.
I found it very hard to
understand. I had plenty of role models and extensive network of family
and friends when I was growing up. My parents instilled strong values and
my drive to be successful. My extended family and friends provided
support and encouragement. I have often wondered what my life would have
been if they had not been there? Although I lost both my parents before I
became 21 years old, my cousins paid and educated me in the United Kingdom and
encouraged and supported my goals. Although without my parents and
friends I often felt lonely, my extended family and friends wrote to me weekly
and showed their love and gave me strength. I owe it to my family and
friends for the education I obtained and for having been able to come to
America for my Ph.D. If not for them, I would have been like many other
Sri Lankan Tamils who were left behind – who were either forced to join the Tamil
Tigers or struggle to survive in a sluggish economy being throttled by a long
civil war.
I don’t wonder any longer why Asian
Americans are successful. I know it is because they grew up with a strong
network of friends and relatives who provided guidance, support and
encouragement.
Question:
How important is mentoring and how can I help?
My
Experience:
- Statistics provide clear evidence of the importance of mentoring. Young adults who were at risk of falling-off track but had a mentor are 55% more likely to enroll in college. Youth who regularly meet with mentors are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs.
- I had multiple role models, all of them were family members in Sri Lanka or teachers in India and the USA. Drs. C. T. Kurien and Joseph James, epitomes of simplicity, despite being University Professors, served as my role models and helped enhance my interest in economic development and poverty alleviation. One of the reasons I did my M.A. degree in Development Economics and wrote my thesis on “Why Poor People Stay Poor” was because of the influence of my teachers.
- As a Professor in South Carolina, I have had many opportunities to be role models and mentors for my students. Many times, I have been successful, many students have done well in their lives. Sometimes I wasn’t. Being a role model is not easy but is always a learning and enriching experience.
- You can be a mentor at any age. Secondary school children can mentor elementary school children, like my son did at summer camps organized by the Fairfax Parks and Recreation Authority. It was valuable when he wrote his college application. I plan to volunteer and serve as a mentor after I retire.
- There are many organizations that have established mentoring programs. For example, many Boys and Girls Clubs and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America have a successful history of organizing and supporting mentoring programs. Some school districts have established programs, e.g., Kansas City Metro area. Mentor, the National Mentoring Partnership is a good resources.
Do
you have experience as a mentor and how did it start?
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