2004 Weston Loran scholar Wojciech Gryc and his mentor George Roter share a passion for human development and a desire to achieve sustainable impact. Wojciech started the organization Five Minutes to Midnight in his teens in order to give youth a voice and media outlet that would allow them to become aware of and involved in political and international issues. George is a co-founder and co-CEO of Engineers Without Borders, a leading Canadian human development organization.

"George has been very helpful with regard to the challenges of running FMM. He always provides productive insights and experiences of his own, and I do my best to apply those lessons in my own work," says Wojciech. "He asks deep questions that really make me consider different sides to every issue. His questions have improved my critical thinking capacity, as well as my ability to plan projects and set goals."

George is impressed by Wojciech's energy, courage and maturity. "Every time I challenged Wojciech and felt like I had pushed too hard, he just listened more and questioned himself more strongly. Every time I pointed him in the direction of a resource or person to talk to, he went after it with intense curiosity," he says.

"I wish I had had this level or quality of mentorship at that point in my own career. Having someone who isn't a peer or a professor or an employer, someone who will encourage you, challenge you and support you -- that would have accelerated my own development," George says.

After graduating from the University of Toronto, Wojciech will be working at IBM's Watson Research Center. Though the mentorship has officially ended, Wojciech says, "I know our friendship will continue past the formal mentorship process, and I'm very happy to know we'll still keep in touch."