For Sarah Genet, matching with her OTF mentor led to a greater network of contacts and interest in a future in the geosciences.

What was the most impactful aspect of your OTF experience?

The mentor I was matched with through the OTF program. I was able to meet many of her colleagues, and I built a professional relationship that went deeper than general networking with someone in the professional field that I was interested in. This was also what was most memorable from my GSA 2022 experience.

What was your mentorship experience like? Would you consider returning to serve as a mentor?

I was very happy with my mentorship experience. My mentor shared so many contacts with me and introduced me into the network of the field I was interested in, which affirmed my interest and dedication to pursue that realm in my professional career. I would definitely consider returning to serve as a mentor so that I would also be able to make an impact on a young student in the geosciences, too.

Why should donors support programs like OTF?

Donors should support OTF and other related programs because it allows students who would otherwise not be able to attend the conference due to funding issues, which was the case for myself.