Felicity Harris proudly attributes the remarkable success of the Peer Mentor Programme for first-year students in the Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering Department to the unwavering dedication of "our senior students who mentor the first-year students."
Launched in 2019, the timing was perfect, as the following year brought the challenges of COVID-19, necessitating remote learning. Harris, the programme coordinator, noted: "The mentors played a crucial role in maintaining connections with first-year students. Our goal is to assign each first-year student a mentor. Participation is voluntary, empowering students to decide for themselves."
In 2023, as the world began to recover, the department experienced an increased intake. Despite budget constraints, "we chose to reach out to our senior students, asking how many would like to volunteer their time, given our limited paid positions." The response was overwhelmingly positive; the first year saw an abundance of volunteers.
The programme now flourishes with the support of dedicated volunteers and a select number of paid mentors who guide them. Harris emphasises the importance of celebrating the senior students’ contributions. "They don’t seek payment; they simply wish to give back what they have learned from their own experiences."
Each mentor is responsible for at least 25 first-year students, maintaining contact, providing assistance, and forming WhatsApp groups. They also meet in person on campus to discuss progress and offer guidance. Paid mentors, referred to as senior mentors due to their experience, also play a vital role in supporting junior mentors and first-year students.
"We’re establishing a structured framework, creating a positive impression..."We’ve cultivated a culture of care and altruism, fostering engineering responsibility. This initiative not only encourages students to focus on their studies but also nurtures their desire to help others."
Mentor Sinelitha Vuthuza shared: “My overall experience has been good. I genuinely enjoy helping people, and I love it here so far.” Siphosethu Dlangamandla, a mentor and second-year Mechatronic Engineering student, also spoke positively about his experience in the programme. He aimed to graduate with summa cum laude but was unable to do so. Despite this, he remarked: “Everything is good so far. I want to encourage and support the first-year students to achieve better than I did, inspiring them to graduate with summa cum laude as well.”
