A generation gap notwithstanding, the bond between JPS area manager, customer experience Shanique Donaldson-McIntosh and Mico University College freshman Leonie Harris has gradually evolved into a genuine friendship. First came their introductory meeting, two months ago, at a JPS Foundation mentorship workshop for shortlisted tertiary students, where Harris and Donaldson were paired as mentee and mentor. Today, the two have not only become fast friends but have discovered an abiding trust in each other.

“We found out we had a lot in common and she’s a very inspiring person,” raved the 19-year-old of the JPS senior exec. “When she told me her story, it connected with me because it’s something I’m going through right now. I am trying to defy the odds, and she defied the odds.”

Much like Shanique’s single-mother upbringing in Kemps Hill, Clarendon, Leonie too grew up in a female-helmed household. The community of Brainerd, St Mary, is home for Harris, where her office attendant parent Georgia Garnett, raised the aspiring mathematics educator alongside five siblings. 

“I am a first-generation college student,” the young adult revealed, noting her enrollment is a source of great pride among her loved ones. “I feel really good, but it can be a little pressuring because a lot of them are counting on me. Everybody wants me to do my best, get that degree and come out on top.” 

Looking on, 40-year-old Donaldson readily admitted that “I do see a younger version of myself in Leonie, and that connection has added a deep, personal layer to our mentorship.” 

“When we found out she knew members of my family (through community service Leonie had done in Clarendon), and that we both come from similar beginnings, something clicked. Seeing her belief in the power of education, and her quiet determination to change her trajectory reminds me so much of my own journey. This shared background definitely powers our relationship. It fuels my commitment to show up fully and remind her that where you start does not define where you end.”

Reminiscing on her own journey, Donaldson credited education “as a way out of my circumstances.” The Glenmuir High alum and former head girl said she understood from early on, “while we [her family] didn’t have many material resources, knowledge was something no one could take away from me. I saw it as a bridge between where I was and where I wanted to be, not just in terms of career success, but also in creating choices and opportunities that didn’t seem available to me at the time.”

The JPS exec, who went on to graduate from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona with a bachelor’s in international relations and a minor in political science and in social policy and development, lauded her retired small business owner parent Annette Bhoorasingh, as most instrumental in guiding her to self-actualise. “She taught me the value of hard work, discipline, and resilience. Watching her manage so much with so little showed what strength really looks like,” praised Donaldson of the mother who reared both her and her elder brother Denver, now resident in Canada and a manager at Roger Communications.

Keen focus and sacrifices, according to Donaldson, were the twinned guideposts on the path to success. “My mother fiercely believed in education. When I was studying at night even though she didn’t know what I was doing, or couldn’t help me, she would burn the midnight oil with me and made many sacrifices to ensure that I had everything I needed for school. She had a bar and grocery shop built by the house and to this day, I’m in awe she was able to make ends meet.” 

The driven energy company manager, who obtained a Master’s degree in governance and public policy from UWI in 2010, summed up her educational pursuits thusly: “I knew I wasn’t just learning for myself, I was learning for my family and a chance to help others like Leonie one day.”

For Leonie, presently in the middle of semester-ending exams at Mico, the motivation to attend the Marescaux Road college lay with “my two aunts who are currently teachers…one teaches language and the other visual arts. I am inspired by them and how passionate they are about what they do.”

She is immensely thankful for Shanique’s presence in her life at the moment.
“I really love the relationship that I have with her. To be able to receive feedback from somebody in the adult and working worlds, I really appreciate that, and she gives me a lot of advice,” Harris revealed.

The budding besties, within just the last two months, have developed an easy rapport over Shanique’s invites to the JPS corporate head office, cafe and restaurant lunch dates, female-empowerment workshop brunches, and most recently, a trip to Expo Jamaica. 

“She holds really good conversations,” offered Leonie of what she is most impressed by in her mentor. “While I’m an introvert, I actually love talking to people. Shanique is a very articulate speaker and I would like to become a better speaker. When we went to the Expo and she was speaking to her son Adam, I loved the way when he asked a question, she was able to formulate a  thoughtful response at the same time.”  

Charging ahead, with three years left to complete her degree, Harris said, unlike most of her peers in school, she does not harbour an interest in seeking employment in a classroom overseas. “I don’t see myself working outside of Jamaica because a lot of my classmates, as soon as they get their degrees, have said they are going abroad. Even now, I am thinking about which school I am going to teach at in Jamaica,” she shared.

Meanwhile, in paying it forward, Donaldson has found deep satisfaction in the company of her mentee. 

“A key goal for me is to help Leonie embrace a growth mindset. The belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, learning and persistence. In this fast-paced environment, it’s easy to feel discouraged by setbacks or overwhelmed by challenges. I want to support her in seeing these moments not as failures, but as valuable stepping stones to growth.”

This mentorship relationship is a part of the JPS Foundation’s overall mentorship framework, which supports three of its programmes, the Power Up Scholarships, the Power Up Energy Club and the Power Up Community Action programmes.