A good mentor. Don’t we all need one at some point in our lives? That was certainly the case for 16-year-old Stemette Nisa Anwer who snapped at the chance to take part in the virtual Deutsche Bank Student to Stemette (STS) mentoring programme.
Nisa attended Stemettes events in 2019 and stayed involved by joining the Stemette Society (a closed social network for young people who identify as female or non-binary).
“As a member of the Stemette Society, I love how I am so easily in contact with STEM professionals. It also feels very empowering to be a part of a STEM-focused community that is predominantly female. I have found lots of amazing role models that I look up to now.”
Nisa is currently taking A-levels in maths, biology and chemistry. When applying to the STS programme she said that she was searching for a mentor who would help refine her career options and broaden her knowledge of STEM pathways.
“I’ve been to speed networking events previously with Stemettes and found them very useful and eye-opening to the STEM world. I need a mentor who can develop skills that I need to work in the STEM industry, including skills which are transferable to my pathway to leadership.”
Pretty impressive insights before she even applied. Nisa’s application was successful and based on her needs, she was paired with investment banking associate Camille from Deutsche Bank. She set some goals before starting the programme, including improving her interview skills and securing work experience.
“I enjoyed being a part of the Deutsche Bank programme. Before this program, I was unsure what I wanted to do as my career however, my mentor introduced me to so many endless opportunities and this inspired me. My mentor supported me with helpful, relevant advice and knowledge to take the next steps in my education. My mentor always boosted my confidence and was also a warm friendly face that I looked forward to speaking with every week!”
She now volunteers at King’s College Hospital which she hopes will bring her a step closer to her dream of studying dentistry at a top London university.
When we asked Nisa about any unexpected benefits as a result of taking part in this programme, she said:
“I was introduced to all the opportunities a STEM career can offer me and I saw how enjoyable and fulfilling a STEM career can be. I have listened to the stories of so many women in STEM and learned about how their passion has led to a successful and fulfilling career. This has influenced me to pursue a STEM pathway.”
Learn more about our flagship mentoring programme Student to Stemette: stemettes.org/sts
