Mentor Spotlight: Kelly Watson

A Global Education

Growing up, Kelly Watson trotted across the globe as her dad’s career took her family from Dayton, Ohio to Iran, Nigeria, England, and Turkey. After high school, Kelly came back to the United States to attend Vassar College in New York.

While she felt she had been given every advantage for success, Kelly struggled academically at Vassar. She fell behind and began to face previously undiagnosed learning disabilities. She eventually took a leave of absence from school.

“I was a fish out of water but benefitted from being accountable to others,” she said. “Having mentors along the way helped rebuild my confidence and reframe success. One mentor offered advice that guides me to this day, ‘When you feel stuck, do your best, with what you have, right now’ and  ‘When you feel overwhelmed, go for a walk. You’ll always feel better at the end.’”

Finding a Path

With the support of mentors, family, and friends, Kelly eventually completed her BA degree.

“It only took 10 years!” she joked. “I am very grateful for the lessons learned and the people who helped me find my path during that time. It shaped my life.”

Kelly’s personal struggle to finish college led her to a career working in educational non-profit organizations on the east coast and eventually back in Ohio.

“In 2007 my husband and I moved back to the Cincinnati area with our young kids to be closer to family.   I had a “horse habit” and was looking for an affordable place to board my horse, Sonny. Although he could be a terror, he always led me to the best people and places. This time it was to Brown County.”

For the next 10 years, Kelly facilitated outdoor education at Cherry Ridge Farms in Brown County. One program in partnership with a local school system worked with students who were not thriving in regular classrooms. The program included martial arts, learning about farm life, and a therapeutic riding program.

“Students with ADHD can struggle in traditional classroom settings,” Kelly reflected. “By learning strategies to manage time and workloads and discovering how they learn best, students can work to their strengths.”

Stepping into a New Arena

As Kelly learned about Brown County, she was fascinated to hear about a company of Ursuline nuns from France, a historic school, and beautiful old buildings tucked away a few miles up the road. In 2015, she saw an ad for a part-time grant writer for the former Chatfield College. This was a mission that spoke to her heart, realizing that the students at Chatfield carried with them a realm of challenges – learning, social, emotional, and economic.

“So many students spoke of how Chatfield became home, a place where they felt supported and encouraged in a way they never had before. Chatfield College helped students build confidence as learners, connect with resources to overcome barriers, and develop tools for success,” she recalled.

What started as part-time work eventually led Kelly to a full-time position as Chatfield’s Director of Development. When the college closed in 2022 and transitioned to The Chatfield Edge, so did Kelly’s role. She oversaw early fundraising efforts and partner relationships to keep The Chatfield Edge focused on its mission: providing free, expert guidance, financial assistance, and encouragement to help people who are facing obstacles achieve post-high school education and training.

Staying Connected Through Mentoring

When Kelly stepped down from her role a year later to care for her aging parents. she wanted to remain a part of a mission, a community, and the 180-year-old legacy of the Ursuline Sisters of Brown County who started Chatfield.

Now as a mentor with The Chatfield Edge, Kelly hopes to build on the Ursuline legacy by walking with students in a non-judgmental way that keeps them moving toward their goals.

“I can really empathize with the crooked path to and through college and know firsthand how I benefitted from having a mentor check in with me when I was struggling at Vassar,” Kelly said.

She sees mentoring as a two-way relationship in which she also learns from her mentee, Nicole, a student in Xavier University’s Digital Innovation, Film, and Television program.

“Some days, I think Nicole eats challenges and barriers for breakfast! When things go wrong, she’s good at keeping with the overall direction without losing her cool,” Kelly marveled. “Part of my role is to help her know that it’s also okay to ask for help and to let her guard down a bit, especially when things aren’t in her control.” 

While Nicole is very independent, Kelly was pleased last spring when she reached out for help. While headed to a filming site (ironically near Kelly’s house), Nicole’s old car blew a tire, and she called Kelly during the breakdown. Not only did Kelly pick her up, but she connected Nicole with emergency funding for her unexpected car expense. Knowing that transportation is the Achille’s heel for many students, The Chatfield Edge has a donor-established fund to assist students with situations that could derail their education. An anonymous donor provided four new tires for Nicole, which got her safely back on the road and kept her on track with her education.

The Chatfield Edge is growing and welcomes more mentors to accompany its first-generation and non-traditional students who are enrolled in college, trade school, and certificate programs. We provide training for our mentors who meet with students about four times each semester to encourage them along their path to gain success in life through education. To find out more or to sign up to be a mentor, contact David Hesson, Director of Programs, at david.hesson@chatfieldedge.org or call 513 875 3344 x 115.