������Ʒ

Anysia Ensslen-Boggs ‘05/’07M first volunteered during a Career Intensive Boot Camp as a resume reviewer and mock interviewer. Not long after that, the Bloomsburg Speech-Language Pathology major was invited to level up as a mentor in the inaugural Bill Bent Leadership Boot Camp.

“I was so excited to be asked to participate as a mentor in the Bent Leadership Boot Camp,” explained Boggs. “I loved the idea of being a mentor to a Speech Language Pathology student.”

Now a Speech Language Pathologist with Graceful Speech Language Therapy, a private practice based in Maryland, Boggs recalls her time at Bloomsburg with fondness and enjoyed helping her mentee move through intimidating tasks to meet her goals – especially since she remembers what it was like when she was a student.

“I absolutely loved my time at Bloomsburg,” said Boggs. “It was so valuable to see how my mentee grew as a person over several months. I watched her set goals, ask questions, revise and reevaluate, stay focused on her goal, and then meet that goal.”

Boggs also appreciated being around the larger group of students who she described as “polite, well-spoken, appreciative, and driven,” especially since she regularly supervises students and new grads in her role with Graceful Speech. 

“They had a clear plan of what they wanted to accomplish, but were also open to suggestions and asked great questions,” explained Boggs. “Taking initiative is a trait that sets students and employees apart from their peers.”

By the end of the program, Boggs’ student had been accepted into all three graduate schools to which she had applied. But making a difference in the life and future career path of a student wasn’t the only benefit Boggs discovered.  She was also able to network with other Huskies and reconnect with her alma mater.

“An unexpected perk of being a mentor was getting to reconnect and network with other mentors,” explained Boggs. “Learning through networking is definitely a lifelong skill, and I was amazed at the helpful insights and tips I picked up from other mentors who weren't even in my field!”

“Mentoring students in your own field is so rewarding,” Boggs concluded. “It's even more special when those students are attending your alma mater. I would have loved to have had an SLP mentor when I was an undergrad!”