KNUST Logo

The Eagle Mentorship Program

The Faculty of Social Science KNUST

THE MANTRA: WE STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE WITH INTEGRITY AND DISCIPLINE

We seek to empower women leaders on the ground by advancing their skills and leadership to mobilize and create real social, economic and cultural transformation in Ghana. The population of females in the social sciences is approximately 3000 students and amongst them are very intelligent and outstanding students who need an extra push to be able to realize and achieve their goals and aspirations.

Mission
Our mission is to accelerate the changes women seek through mentorship and training programs to empower, to unite and amplify women's voices, solutions and impact in our country Ghana.

Vision
Our vision is to train one thousand outstanding female professional and leaders with a difference by the year 2020 to serve society and the country at large.

Aim

Our objective is to:        

  • Building the capacity of female students to assume leadership position in all sectors:
  • Increase the percentage of female student entrepreneurship, political and developmental sectors:

Areas of capacity building will include:

  • Public speaking skills
  • Advocacy
  • Skills development
  • Personality development
  • Building self-esteem
  • Building networking
  • To increase female participation in contemporary Ghanaian environment
  • Empower women through female lecturers in the social science faculty
  • To encourage peer mentoring

The Eagle Mentorship program seeks to connect people who have specific skills and knowledge with female students of the social science faculty who need or want the same skills and advantages to move up in work, skill level, or school performance. Participants in the programs, both young and old, share their values and personal goals in a mutually respectful, supportive way which leads to a more enriched life for both. Therefore, the success of the mentorship program will break down barriers and creates opportunities for success.

Good reasons for starting the Eagle Mentor program

  • Partnership programs give people who don't have many life options hope for a better future
  • Mentoring builds everyone's self-esteem
  • The knowledge and alternatives gained through a partnership program allow females students to explore different career possibilities not often available in a classroom.
  • Mentor programs break down stereotypes surrounding certain professions and populations. Mentor relationships promote awareness of a community's diversity
  • Partnerships build teamwork, whether learning occurs in school or on the job. Partnership programs provide great publicity for the mentor, who can show off her experience, and for the protégé, who can show off her new, marketable skills.

Setting up the Eagle Mentorship program:

This is a Lecturer-female student mentor programs where the mentors (drawn from academia and other professional fields) provide a training ground for female students in the faculty a with concentrated adult attention otherwise missing from their lives in their preparation for professional  and leadership skill needed for the  various fields  of endeavour.

  • Adults can model the importance of education, discipline , integrity  hard work, responsibility, and restraint as paths to success
  • Young protégés build self-confidence as they are accepted and supported by the adult world
  • Adults experience "the best of parenting" (this includes the development of a meaningful relationship with a youth, the chance to pass on a personal history, and the chance to teach) without the pressures of being legally responsible
  • Adult mentors broaden adolescents' horizons and expose them to new experiences not available in their immediate environment

Peer Mentoring

  • Mentoring usually focuses on improving academic performance and school attendance
  • Students can provide peer tutoring, support and counselling
  • Adolescent mentors have fewer expectations and put less pressure on their protégés to meet their goals
  • The grades of both student mentor and student protégé generally greatly increase when combined with tutoring.

Overview/ Method of mentorship program

Now that you've become more familiar with mentoring, the rest of the sections in this chapter will discuss the basics of setting up a program, including:

  • Recruiting Mentors for Your Program - find the best professionals for the job. Consider what qualities make a good mentor, and how to recognize and recruit people with those characteristics.
  • Recruiting student to the Eagle Mentoring Program - look at mentoring programs from the other side to determine what's important to students. They will be chosen on certain criteria. These are CWA, COMMITMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT, ASSERTIVENESS OF FEMALE STUDENT,  EXTRA CURRICULA ACTIVITIES, CONSENCIOUSNESS AND/ PRACTICUM OF FEMALE STUDENT,
  • Areas of mentorship: Academia, governance and politics, community development, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and others.
  • Building Female student/Mentor Relationships - help mentors communicate well with their protégés, and enhance skills in problem-solving, modelling, and coaching.
  • Youth Goal Setting - help young people set goals, and discuss how these goals can help them achieve their dreams.
  • Monitoring and Gathering Mentoring Program Feedback- make sure your program remains on track and effective throughout its (hopefully very long) life span.

EAGLE MENTORSHIP: Excellence Assertive Gallant Learned and Educative
Eagle: We Strive for Excellence with Integrity and Discipline