There are essential qualities to a great mentor. They should be an expert in their field, a good listener, give constructive criticism, and be engaged. Professor Kim Williams has all of these qualities and more. Above all other aspects, the thing I appreciate most about her mentorship is that she is willing to grow with her mentee. She helps identify strengths for you to leverage and weaknesses to improve upon. At the same time, she is constantly seeking to do the same for herself and does not hide that process from her mentee. This openness shows those with much to prove that everyone, no matter how successful, is fallible and can always better themselves. It is also important to be aware of your progress, so Kim is adamant about setting goals and reflecting on the journey. As a mentee, I gain a profound sense of satisfaction whenever I look back to see all that we have accomplished.
Reading this you may think, of course she does this for her graduate student who she is invested in. But her desire to see others succeed is not limited to her students, in fact this award is for mentorship of faculty and staff. Kim is glad to motivate, advocate for, and support anyone she can. This generosity, combined with her world renown expertise, has placed her in a position of influence which many students and faculty (both at Mines and abroad) have benefited from. Her shining example has inspired generations at Mines so it is no surprise that she has been honored with the W.M. Keck Mentorship Award.
Congratulations Kim!