If you’ve ever made the statement “This wouldn’t have been possible without the help of …,” then you have been blessed with a mentor. Maybe that person introduced you to a new skill or to a new career opportunity. Maybe they stood up for you when you needed it. Maybe they believed in you when no one else did.

Congrats. Now my question to you is “Did you pay that forward?”

When I was a junior at Central College in Pella, I worked part time at a family-owned appliance store. I played golf in college, so between my schoolwork, campus life and golf, I learned to balance a busy schedule early in life. I’ve always appreciated the support and training I received from the owners of that family-owned business who served quietly as my mentors while expecting little in return.

My first job out of college was with The Des Moines Register, selling advertising to retail locations like Artis Furniture, Whylie Eye Care and Reichardt’s Clothing back when the late Bill Reichardt was my mentor and “he owned the store.” I learned a lot from Lois Copple of Whylie about the importance of strong women’s leadership skills, from Reichardt about having a firm handshake and from the Artis family about how to run a family business. Let me not leave out Kitty Metzger at WHO radio (now part of iHeart Media) who mentored me as a salesperson and also introduced me to teaching fitness classes at the YMCA. And one of my favorite mentors happens to be the publisher of Business Publications Corp. Inc., Janette Larkin. We share a love of Diet Coke, a passion for animals and the appreciation of a strong female leader.

Flash-forward in my career and I’m still amazed at the importance of having a good mentor. I was blessed with mentors like Bob Riley for his quiet leadership and support of the Capital Crossroads vision and David Thompson at Stine Seed Co. for his honest leadership and friendship over the years. There are so many others, but that’s not what this story is about.

Because of the support I received from this amazing community over the years, I am committed to giving back whenever possible. I’ve served as a corporate lead for United Way at both Gannett Co. Inc. (owner of the Register) and Meredith Corp. I’ve coached softball, volleyball, basketball, baton twirling, Girl Scouts, Lego teams, leadership classes and participated in mentoring programs such as Community Connect and numerous church activities.

When Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds asked if I would serve as her co-chair with Mike Ralston to lead Iowa’s Million Women Mentors initiative to promote mentoring for young women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), I jumped at the chance. Million Women Mentors’ primary goal is to support opportunities for young women and girls to explore and participate in STEM activities to ignite their passion in those disciplines.

According to national statistics, in the next decade, STEM-related careers are projected to increase by 16.5 percent, and while women make up 48 percent of our workforce, only 24 percent are in STEM-related fields. Women in STEM earn 33 percent more than what they earn in comparable non-STEM jobs. It is important that we encourage young girls and women to pursue the opportunities available in STEM careers.

Being a professional mentor is important for good reason. It’s more than just doing something good for another person. It also means believing in someone even when they don’t see it in themselves. Mentoring is not hard; it doesn’t have to be a chore. Mentoring is a gift. When you take the time to support someone through service, education and support, you’re making a long-lasting impact on a person’s life.

In honor of January being National Mentoring Month, I invite you to reach out to mentor someone. If you don’t know where to start, you can search for a mentor or pledge to be a mentor at MillionWomenMentors.org or with other organizations throughout the state at volunteeriowa.gov.

Connect with Rieker via email or phone at 515-401-7650. She also is on Facebookand LinkedIn.