Sandra Scharn-Stevens of Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division China Lake and Wei-Li Young of NAWCWD Point Mugu, received Naval Air Systems Command’s Mentors of the Year Awards in a ceremony Jan. 24.

Scharn-Stevens is the deputy director for Procurement and has been with NAWCWD for 40 years. She has mentored dozens of professionals and she routinely takes time to provide mentoring opportunities. Scharn-Stevens was nominated by the Procurement group.

Scharn-Stevens believes mentoring is important because it encourages people to do more than what they think they can, and to help them understand and believe in their own personal strengths.

She also gave credit to a former Mentor of the Year award winner, Dwayne Heinsma, who “helped me craft what to say and how to speak with employees and how to hold them accountable,” Scharn-Stevens said.

“[Mentoring] is an opportunity to invest in success of other people, identify and build on their strengths and it increases confidence and competence,” Scharn-Stevens said.

Young is a division director at NAWCWD Point Mugu and was nominated by 18 of her colleagues. She never had a mentor, but she did have help from colleagues throughout her career.

“Without the people supporting me throughout the years, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Young said.

Young strives to make an impact on those who she mentors.

“I want to show that I care to help them be the best person they can be at their job and in their personal life,” Young said. “The biggest reward for me is when I see and make a positive impact on someone’s life.”

For those who have aspirations to be a mentor, both Scharn-Stevens and Young say to just do it. Scharn-Stevens’ advice is to always stay in learning mode. Young says that if you see someone that could use some feedback, listen and be their advocate.