Mentorship
Introduction of Student Mentoring Scheme
Student Mentoring Scheme (SMS) is a university-wide scheme introduced by Student Development Services (SDS) that aims to help freshmen adapt smoothly to university life and the new learning environment. Senior students are shaped as big brothers and big sisters for new students to facilitate their settlement in CityU and their home department.
Every year, a student mentor is assigned to each freshman of EE department. A variety of student-oriented activities and events are organized under the scheme with the participation of both academic staff and student mentors, such as orientation tours, a help desk, study groups, competitions, BBQs, hiking, and other forms of social gatherings. The mentors are expected to share their study experience, personal pursuits, career goals, and to provide guidance on choosing majors in subsequent meetings or gatherings throughout the year.
Our objectives are:
- To help first-year students adapt to university life
- To establish a supportive social network among first-year students and senior students
- To nurture a warm and positive atmosphere for learning in the campus
- To help first-year students grow and develop academic capability
- To help mentors grow and develop soft skills and mentoring capability
Becoming a Student Mentor
Various training opportunities are built into the scheme to allow mentors and mentees to grow together. Over the past years, many students became a mentor as they were greatly benefited by the scheme in the first year of their university life. Meanwhile, many mentors decided to continue their mentorship for years only because they wanted to help more freshmen with their valuable experience.
The application period is normally opened from May to June each year. We are looking for senior students with the following attributes:
- Loving heart to help peers succeed
- Good social and communication skills
- Sense of belonging to the department
- Mature mindset and positive attitude towards life, study and works
In general, mentors are required to meet their mentees regularly to provide in-time support. The meetups can be in different forms and occasions, but two formal meetings will be arranged each semester, roughly at the beginning and mid of the term, to assess the mentees and channel their needs and problems to the department. Our expectations on mentors are:
- Building good relationships with mentees and other mentors;
- Being accessible and available to mentees, and offer help to them whenever necessary;
- Assisting mentees to adapt to the university life by experience sharing ;
- Advising mentees on issues related to their personal growth, career development and personal pursuits;
- Helping mentees to acquire social and interpersonal skills;
- Planning, organizing and participating activities for mentees; and
- Attending regular meetings with Scheme Coordinator and Academic Advisors.
As a student mentor, students are able to take an active role in providing assistance, guidance,and support to new students. The process of helping peers also benefits students in discovering ones’ inner self and developing their social network. The contribution of student mentors is greatly valued and recognized by both the Department and the University. By being a mentor, students will definitely learn much more than just being an ordinary university student.