Alumni Fellow Case Study: Angela Wangari

Angela Wangari

Becoming a Nottingham Business School (NBS) Fellow in 2018, Angela is part of our Industry Mentoring Programme and currently dedicated to nurturing and supporting one of our MSc Management students.

Talking to us from her London office, Angela is eager to explains what motivates her to take part.

“I do it for a few reasons,” she says. “One is because of my deep Christian conviction. The other is because I was raised by my wonderful family in Kenya. They invested so much of their time and energy in me, it feels completely natural that I would want to do the same nurturing others.”

“There’s actually a third reason!” Angela explains. “And that’s where NTU comes in. All those years ago, the university gave me a 50% tuition scholarship. So again, it’s that thing of seeing how much others have invested in you and wanting to give something back.”

Given recent world events – a global pandemic, lockdowns, changing work patterns, many people have been reassessing what’s important to them. Does Angela believe now is a good time to consider becoming a mentor? Could it be the answer for someone looking for a more spiritual reward?

“One of the best things you can do is to spend your time helping someone else,” she says. “The last few years have made many people reassess what’s important to them and why they do things. This is the perfect time to consider becoming a mentor because so many of us are looking for something deeper and more rewarding – looking for ways to help and contribute.”

Angela clearly has a passion for finance and is keen to instil her interest and experiences on the students she mentors. But do you need to be especially driven and outgoing to become a student mentor?

“To be honest, if I’m in a crowd, I’ll usually be the quieter one!” Angela says. “But because of my upbringing and my outlook on life, I’ve always found it easy to observe to nurture and to celebrate the success of others. We all have a gift that God has given us – and I want the people I mentor to become the best they can be.

“In terms of mentoring, the key thing early on is to find out where a student’s passion lies. We’ve had discussions about how one of the secrets to success is combining your skills and interest in the subject – then the world becomes a better place. It’s a spiritually rewarding experience for both of you, and I always want my mentee's voice and confidence to become louder.”

How much time does Angela dedicate to mentoring?

“We plan our sessions carefully,” she says, “ but I always make sure the person I mentor can contact me with a question or wanting advice. It’s important to decide what your level of commitment will be, but it can be highly flexible.

“As a mentor, you’re also learning new things – it’s not just the student. They help you to develop as a professional and an individual too. If you can help someone succeed, they will go on to solve the world’s problems – which will ultimately benefit us all one day.”