Mentorship is the patronage, influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. Mentor Mentee Program at Sanjo College offers a structured setting in which a one-on-one relationships between students and teachers/professionals is developed to benefit the overall development of students. Acting as a friend, a teacher, and a guide to the real world, mentors have the opportunity to encourage and advise students by sharing their own experiences and knowledge of the situation. The purpose of mentoring is to grow by tapping into the knowledge and experience of someone further along than yourself. It's the best way to accelerate one’s development.
It is experienced that while pursuing Under Graduate/ Post Graduate programme, students often need mentoring, guidance and counselling from a learned and loving elderly figure. Along with the direct academic issues (e.g. selection of electives), that can be easily communicated to the student, other finer nuances (e.g. career options or fear of a subject/course) need to be addressed professionally and hence the greater involvement of the mentor. A student will have the same mentor throughout his/her course and that will help him/her to accomplish program goals, ensuring consistency and stability.
Through this programme, the management envisages an integral and holistic development of students from all categories, without the hurdles of any bias or categorical differences. Each teacher in all departments is assigned with the task of mentoring 20 - 30 students. All mentors keep a confidential mentoring record, a data sheet about their students, which records a report of mentoring done by the teachers. The Head of the Department periodically evaluates the reports.
Responsibilities of a Mentor
The mentor will perform many functions in a healthy relationship with mentee. The below-listed functions, of course, cannot be exclusive.
- Meet the group of students at least once in a month with a progressive attempt for mutual respect and mentees overall development.
- Continuously monitor, counsel, guide, and motivate the students in all academic matters and provide support to develop professional and personal skills.
- Advise students regarding choice of electives, projects, summer training, etc.
- Take the lead in supporting a mentee through an ongoing, one-to-one relationship and serve as a positive role model, advisor, coach and confidante.
- Contact parents/guardians if the situation demands e.g. academic irregularities, negative behavioural changes, and interpersonal relations, detrimental activities, etc.
- Advise students in their career development/professional guidance
- Maintain contact with the students even after their graduation.
- Intimate HOD and suggest if any administrative action is called for.
- Maintain a detailed progressive record of the student
Responsibilities of a Mentee
- Respect and trust the mentor and the reciprocal relationship between the mentor and mentee.
- Regularly attend the meetings with the mentor and seek advice on matters of concern.
- Provide the details of his/her performance, curricular and extracurricular activities to the mentor
Responsibilities of the Head of Department
- Review the mentor – mentee program on a regular basis and assess the progress.
- Support and advise the mentors for effective discharge of their duties.
- Keep the head of the institute informed.
Types of mentoring to the students:
- Professional Guidance – regarding professional goals, selection of career, ways and means of progression, higher education.
- Career Advancement – regarding self-employment opportunities, entrepreneurship development, morale, honesty and integrity required for career growth.
- Course work specific – regarding attendance and performance.
- Discipline specific – regarding Do’s and Don’ts in the college.
- Problem addressing – regarding specific problems/issues of students, if any.
- Feedback – proper collection of feedbacks and other relevant information.
List of Mentors
