There is a unique joy in seeing someone you once mentored grow into a confident professional and even more so when your paths cross again, years later, in anew phase of their career. It feels a little like watching an athlete you once coached come back as a seasoned player.

Over my years in fundraising and now nonprofit consulting, I have had the privilege of mentoring many young professionals. Some stay in touch, some move on to different sectors, and a few come full circle, reentering my professional world in ways I never expected. These full-circle moments have occurred to me recently and are reminders of the impact I may have had on their career.

Take one intern I worked with about ten years ago. She was young and eager, working alongside my team on a special fundraising project. Even then, she had the drive and spark that told me she was going places. Fast forward to today: she is a development officer at an organization I am consulting for. When were connected, I was struck by how much she had grown, not just in skill but in confidence and presence. She is now leading her first campaign, and I am back in the coaching role, helping her navigate this new challenge. It is incredibly fulfilling to see her stepping into her own, doing amazing work, and leading with grace and focus.

Another example from fifteen years ago. A young woman came to me looking for her first job in fundraising. I helped her prepare for interviews, polish her resume, and most importantly, believe in herself. She landed her first role as an annual fund manager. Now, she is a development officer at another organization where I am providing consulting services. Again, we have come full circle. I am now mentoring her through new strategic decisions and campaign planning.

These experiences remind me of a favorite quote from legendary basketball coach John Wooden, “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.”

In fundraising, as in sports, good coaching is about helping people see the bigger picture, offering support and strategy while empowering them to make the play themselves.

I often think about the mentor’s role like that of a team captain or coach on the sidelines. You are not in the game making the passes anymore, but you are still shaping the outcome. And every once in a while, you get to watch someone you trained score a game-winning goal.

Another sports quote comes from soccer great Mia Hamm, “Celebrate what you’ve accomplished but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.”

That is the mindset I try to instill in the people I coach to appreciate how far you have come, but do not stop growing. Fundraising is dynamic, relationship-driven, and often unpredictable. The best fundraisers are like great athletes: agile, strategic, resilient.

Seeing these young professionals now leading development work at organizations I am helping guide gives me a deep sense of purpose. It is a reminder that mentoring is not just about a moment, it is about a continuum. Sometimes your impact as a coach is only visible years later, when the people you have poured into come back around, stronger, and more capable, ready to run their own plays.

And that is what I love most about nonprofit work, it is not just about campaigns or dollars raised, but about people. Watching talent grow, cheering them on, and getting to be part of their journey is a reward unlike any other.

Because in the end, it is not just a career. It is a legacy. And sometimes, it really does come full circle.

Becky Bumgardner is a Senior Advisor with Armstrong McGuire who specializes in donor stewardship, capital campaigns, feasibility studies, board management, and mentoring. Learn more about Becky and check out her other musings in her bio. Be sure to also check out her  video on donor stewardship!