Passion for mentorship and community is a tenet of the Artisan mission and thus, Artisan Mentored was one of the first programs we launched, inviting one high school student into the office once a week to shadow various members of the team.
To say it’s been a pleasure getting to know Jania would be an understatement. The very first mentee of our Artisan Mentored program, she is a breath of fresh air, bringing excitement, enthusiasm, and a unique perspective to the office every Thursday. We will certainly miss her and want to share some invaluable insight from her experience at Artisan.
What grade are you in?
12th grade
What attracted you to the mentorship program at Artisan?
I was interested in the mentorship program at Artisan because I had no prior experience or exposure to the commercial real estate industry. I thought that it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about a new career field and broaden my horizons.
Do you have an interest in the field of commercial real estate? You can be honest!
I definitely have interest in the field of commercial real estate because of Artisan. In the past, I would’ve never thought that commercial real estate would be of interest to me but after being able to see what the different ‘subfields’ of real estate look like, I would be interested in exploring it further in the future.
What’s your favorite subject?
In school, my favorite subjects are typically any foreign language or science classes. I enjoy foreign language classes a lot because I hope to one day become a polyglot. In the past I have studied Spanish and Turkish at school but am currently only fluent in English. Science is also a class that interests me a lot because I think it is the perfect combination of creative and logical thinking which is what I appreciate the most.
What’s your favorite project you’ve ever completed?
My favorite project that I’ve ever completed would be a community service initiative that I created called ‘Knot It!’ The purpose of this initiative was to create 100 knot tied blankets for homeless youth in the greater Harlem area. After pitching my idea to my school’s board, I was able to raise over four thousand dollars to fund the program. The program was fueled by student volunteers at my school and we would meet after school to tie the blankets and hang out. One unique thing about this program was that at the time most students were still attending school online (as a result of the pandemic) so this was an opportunity for scholars to participate in therapeutic crafts while meeting other students and socializing. This project started out in April of 2021 and by October we’d met our goal and donated the blankets to a shelter for adolescents and victims of domestic abuse.
What do you do for fun?
For fun I like to read, participate in arts & crafts, and watch TV. Dystopian fiction is my favorite genre of books but right now I am reading a novel called The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. My
all time favorite book series is The Hunger Games but I am also a big fan of the Twilight series. I love learning to do all types of crafts but some of my favorites are sewing, making jewelry & lip gloss, and making things out of clay. Lastly, like most other teens my age, I enjoy watching a wide variety of TV shows as well. I am currently watching a k-drama called Nevertheless, and an anime called Hunter x Hunter. My favorite movie of all time is A Walk To Remember.
Where do you feel most inspired?
I feel the most inspired at home because I feel like I am in my most comfortable setting where I can allow myself to think creatively and try new things. On the other hand, I feel inspired whenever I am at Panera Bread because I don’t have the distractions that the comfort of my home provides and it is somewhat of a ritual for my mom and I to go there to get work done so I feel like it is a place where I am the most productive.
Biggest takeaway from your mentorship?
In being a mentee at Artisan my biggest takeaway would probably be to feel comfortable with stepping into the unknown. In working with everyone at Artisan, I felt I had a lot to learn but realized that in asking more questions, and being ready to receive help, I would find myself absorbing more and more information. In addition, I realized I had to take a new spin on what ‘creative confidence’ meant to me. In a lot of cases I realized that I needed to put myself out there and be slightly vulnerable to get the help that I needed which really helped promote the growth that I saw during my time here.
Thank you so much, Jania, and best of luck in your future endeavors! Please keep in touch.
Interested in reading more on our Artisan Mentored program or applying for a Mentorship with us? Click here!
