A mentorship is a relationship between two people where the individual with more experience, knowledge, and connections is able to pass along what they have learned to a more junior individual within a certain field. The more senior individual is the mentor, and the more junior individual is the mentee.
Student mentorship in the College of Education and External Studies is conducted at various levels:
1.) When first years are admitted to University, mentorship commences immediately. Members of the Department, led by the Chair attend the Faculty orientation meetings to introduce students to the various programmes offered in the Department and opportunities available for graduates.
2.) Generally, mentorship programmes in the Department are academic. The programmes range from Diploma level in some courses to undergraduate, masters and PhD degrees.
• In these programmes, a team of very qualified staff mentor students through academic learning, essentially assisting and developing them to achieve their highest academic potential.
• The Department’s approaches to teaching/learning are also geared to nurturing student talents, and building their character and self esteem.
• Weekly official consultation hours between academic staff and students are part of lecturers’ weekly timetable. During such meetings, students articulate their challenges especially on academic matters and get lecturers advise or guidance.
• Academic mentorship also involves creating student awareness, right from their undergraduate years, of the possibilities for postgraduate studies within the university and outside, requisite qualifications for such further studies and scholarship possibilities.