Leslie Gutierrez ’22, a psychology major, completed her final year at Berry with a total of 13 mentors (2 faculty, 6 staff, 1 student, 2 alumni and 2 community members) who offered advice and support.
Now pursuing a master’s degree in forensic mental health counseling at Roger Williams University, Leslie minored in applied behavior analysis (ABA), the primary evidence-based treatment for autism spectrum disorder. “The psychology major at Berry encourages you to explore different careers through different classes you are required to take,” she says. “I connected with Dr. Thom Ratkos, my first ABA professor, in my freshman year. He became my academic advisor.”
Leslie also minored in Spanish and forged a strong relationship with Associate Professor of Spanish Julia Barnes, who chairs the department of world languages and cultures. “I want to continue using Spanish so I can help people who might not be fluent in English,” she says.
Through a series of LifeWorks positions with the department of student financial services, Leslie rose to the position of student supervisor and received the 2020–21 Wayne Rollins Student Worker Award. She notes that she accumulated transferable skills useful in her future: “Coming in, I was fairly shy. Interacting with families and talking them through the payment process improved my communication and people skills. Every family’s situation can be unique, so along with communication, problem-solving was something this job taught me. Being patient, understanding and empathetic is crucial.”
Leslie points out that she had a variety of Berry mentors, even though they were not direct supervisors. Senior financial aid counselor Juanita Bahena stepped into this role early on. “I consider her a great mentor I can always count on. She has supported and guided me professionally and personally,” Leslie explains. “Through the Berry Center for Integrity in Leadership, I was part of a group of student leaders who shared a mentor from the community. He guided our group on how to grow and be better leaders in and outside of Berry.”
As Berry students flourish in their college careers, they mentor peers. “Through the Gate Scholarship, I was able to be a leader and mentor for the incoming freshmen in our program,” Leslie says. “The mentor groups strive to help first-year Gate Scholars get adjusted to academics, work and personal life.” She also coached students as a lead teacher in the English as a Second Language Program and as a Berry ambassador for the admission office.
