Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 12:00 am
CODY (AP) - First lady Nancy Freudenthal advised those attending a women's business conference to become mentors for others.
Freudenthal recalled when she held a government job as a first-year law student, her office was in the basement.
"I was the lowest form of life," she told the Women's Business Resource Expo.
The person who became her mentor was a "curmudgeon - a strange old guy" who headed the land quality division, Freudenthal said. His name was Walt Ackerman, she said.
Ackerman boosted her self-esteem by showing interest in her education and delegating responsibilities to her.
"You all have Walts in your life, so you need to think about being one for someone else," Freudenthal said Saturday.
Freudenthal also advocated closing the wage-disparity gap between men and women workers in Wyoming.
"If we don't address the issue, we'll leave Wyoming women to live a life of poverty if they have children," she said.
Mentoring is one way women who have achieved success can help, she said.
"When we get beyond the struggle, it's time to look at the gift of mentoring, which is actually a gift of grace," she said.
Ackerman helped her obtain a vital raise after her first husband abandoned her, leaving her nearly homeless. Freudenthal's immediate boss had declined to help, she learned later, because he did not want to waste his chips on a young, divorced law student, she said.
Ackerman agreed to sign the request and Freudenthal got the raise, she said.
"I stayed in law school because of my hero," she said. "He cared about me personally."
As a mentor, Ackerman brought qualities like valuing integrity and being trustworthy, caring and committed to excellence, Freudenthal said.
"Think about the heroes in your life," she said. "Think about the importance of building self-esteem.
"Be the person other people think of when they're asked, 'Who's your hero?"'