On 27 November 2023, the College of Human Sciences held its 14th Mentorship Programme graduations and closing ceremony at the Miriam Makeba Concert Hall, with mentors and mentees gathering to celebrate and recognise the journey they have travelled together.

Mentors and mentees gathered to celebrate and recognise the journey they have travelled

Piloted in 2009 by the former executive dean of the College of Human Sciences (CHS), Prof Rosemary Moeketsi, to give young academics a space to learn through mentorship on the journey of academia, the college has successfully run eight formal structured mentoring programmes.

CHS Executive Dean Prof Zethu Nkosi, mentee Keith Scott, CHS Acting Deputy Dean Prof Thinandavha Mashau, and mentor Dr Sibusiso Zuma

The graduation ceremony signalled the end of an intense programme requiring newly appointed academics to attend a stipulated number of classes and sessions to learn about and immerse themselves in Unisa’s culture and manner of operation. These sessions were also a platform for mentees to share their knowledge, experiences and challenges in adapting to an open, distance and e-learning (ODeL) institution such as Unisa.

CHS Acting Deputy Dean Prof Thinandavha Mashau, mentee Mamoya Letseleha, CHS Executive Dean Prof Zethu Nkosi, and mentor Dr Cordelia Nkwinika

Prof Zethu Nkosi, the Executive Dean of the College of Human Sciences, welcomed the mentees and urged them to effectively use the knowledge and skills they have gained to make positive and long-lasting contributions to their new environment. She acknowledged the role Moeketsi played in recognising that young academics needed support in the form of mentorship. Nkosi further encouraged mentees to continue growing. "We hope to improve their standing, while including a culture of hard work, accountability and productivity," she said.

Mentor Prof Russel Viljoen, CHS Acting Deputy Dean Prof Thinandavha Mashau, mentee Ayanda Mdokwana, and CHS Executive Dean Prof Zethu Nkosi

Two members of the organising committee, Siphoesihle Gumede and Nokuphila Hlela, reflected on the 2023 Mentorship Programme. Hlela thanked mentees and mentors for meeting their deadlines and responding to her endless e-mails. She mentioned that the programme’s 2023 theme was Personal and Professional Development: The Path towards Reclaiming Africa’s Intellectual Futures.

This eight-month programme featured workshops and hangouts on IPMS, mentee awareness, time management, employee wellness, research and innovation, engaged scholarship and implementation of ODeL practices, to name a few.

"As the university celebrates 150 years since its inception, the theme is a call for re-invention, re-articulation, and re-positioning of African epistemic discourse and intellectual capacity. Furthermore, mentees from this cohort through robust and engaging discussions were encouraged to be African scholars, for Africa," said Gumede.

Mamoya Letseleha from the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages said she learned that the mentorship programme entailed teamwork between herself, her mentor and her colleagues. Letseleha praised her mentor for assisting her to complete the university’s ethical clearance process and to finish writing her master’s chapter. "The Mentorship Programme boosted my confidence to speak in front of people, and with that I managed to present at the School of Arts Conference," she said.

Giving his feedback on the role the programme played in their career was Ayanda Mdokwana from the Department of Philosophy Practical and Systematic Theology. He said the mentorship programme gave young academics a platform to network. "We were able to learn about community engagement projects in which some of our mentees are involved," said Mdokwana. "This stimulated possibilities of interdisciplinary collaborative work among mentees."

Acting Deputy Executive Dean of CHS, Prof Thinandavha Mashau, congratulated the graduates for never giving up and completing the programme. He conveyed a message of gratitude to Nkosi: "Thank you for being a mother to us. Where we needed support, you’re always there to give a helping hand, when we get lost you guide us with ease and calmness. You’re indeed a mother to the CHS."

He further encouraged the young academics to keep their focus and reach the apex of their academic careers.

* By Nnana Ledile Jege, Communication and Marketing Specialist, College of Human Sciences