Madison Modeszto is an archivist at the National Corvette Museum. She carries a certification from the Academy of Certified Archivists and is an early career archivist.
Doreen Dixon is the Digital Collections Archivist at Clemson University Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives. She is a member of the SAA’s Electronic Records Section (ERS) Steering Committee, as well as the BitCurator Consortium (BCC) the Forum Committee, and the National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA) Excellence Awards Working Group. She is the Second-Year Director of the Executive Board for the South Carolina Archival Association (SCAA), and Chair of the Midwest Archives Conference (MAC) Ethics and Inclusion Committee. She is a certified archivist, certified digital archives specialist, and certified records analyst. She is also an early career archivist.
The Society of American Archivists’ Mentoring Program welcomes applications throughout the year. In this blog series, mentoring participants share about their experience in the program. Would you like to write a post? Let us know at saamembershipcommittee@gmail.com.
What are some aspects that you most enjoy about working with your mentoring partner?
Madison:
I am very happy that I was paired with Doreen for this mentoring experience. The aspects I enjoyed most about our mentoring relationship were how patient and resourceful she was. Any issue that I had that originated from my situation as a new and solo archivist, she was able to either guide me with her past experiences or find me resources in the field that could.
Doreen:
I appreciated that Madison was very open to opinions and new ideas. I am especially glad that she saw me as a resource and someone with whom she could openly discuss her professional concerns and aspirations. I also appreciated how easy she was to talk with, which made the “getting to know you” phase of the mentorship feel natural and comfortable.
What have you learned from your mentoring partner so far?
Madison:
The most important lessons I have learned from my mentoring partner is that good enough is good enough and to find value in my work and myself. This position I am in is my first full time position in the field and I inherited a large amount of archival debt to deal with by myself. I often found myself overwhelmed with getting the repository to a usable state and to achieve any semblance of progress. Doreen explained to me in one of our meetings that any progress was progress and that good enough was good enough. I also learned from her to trust myself when it came to archival decisions and to see myself as valuable. The work I am doing is valuable to the institution and the field even if it does not feel so. Her advice on this in particular is something I revisit often.
Doreen:
I learned that we all have something to learn from each other. I believe a mentoring partnership is a two-way street where both parties benefit and grow from the experience. Madison reinforced for me the importance of resilience, determination, adaptability and creativity. These were traits she demonstrated throughout our partnership. As a lone arranger, she has had to navigate challenges independently at times while finding creative and adaptable solutions.
What inspired you to sign up for the SAA Mentoring Program?
Madison:
I was inspired to sign up for the SAA Mentorship Program after seeking out guidance from several SAA sections. I eventually signed up for a general check-in with Career Counselor and they also suggested signing up for the program.
Doreen:
This is my second time serving as a mentor. Each time I sign up, it is because I am reminded how much I benefited from the program as a mentee 2020-2021. At the time, my mentor, Alison Kobierski, was kind, and compassionate. She gave me really great advice and guided me through my job search. Most importantly, she was a wonderful listener who made me feel supported and understood. Since then, I have always wanted to pay it forward by being the type of mentor that Alison was to me.
Do you have tips for participants in the Mentoring Program and others thinking about participation?
Madison:
For those thinking about doing the program, I say do it! Seeking help or advice when you feel lost is always the best solution. For those participating, I highly encourage you to be honest with your mentor on what you want from this program and what problems you need help with. Doreen was able to help me to the extent she did because I was completely forthright with my opinions and problems, even if they seemed like stupid questions or advice I needed personally!
Doreen:
I think everyone who has the capacity to participate in the program should participate. I know we sometimes struggle with believing we have something to share that someone else would find valuable, but I say just do it. Participating in the program has helped me realize how much I have learned during my almost five years in the field. Things I thought were unimportant or simply part of my everyday experiences ended up being useful and extremely valuable to someone else.
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