WALK WITH A SCHOLAR PROGRAMME

 Walk With a Scholar Programme is a new initiative in Higher Education by the Directorate of Collegiate Education which was launched in the Academic year 2012-13 as a specialised mentoring programme for students in under Graduate Programmes in Arts, Science and Commerce stream. The Scheme aims at giving necessary orientation to needy students, to prepare them for employment and give them necessary guidance, motivation and necessary mental support to identify appropriate areas for higher study as well as employment. The Programme has been implementing in Government College Nedumangad since 2012-13 Academic year.

Coordinators

• Smt.Sibi Natuvilakkandy, Assistant Professor of Economics (2019 June onwards)
• Dr.Rajesh, Assistant Professor of Commerce (2016 June -2019 May)
• Dr.L.Alex, Associate Professor of Malayalam (2012 to 2016 May)

WWS – REPORT – 2019-20

WWS – REPORT – 2017-18

WWS – REPORT – 2015-16 and 2016-17

WWS – REPORT – 2014 -15

1. Goal:

• Provide necessary orientation to  the students  to prepare for employment
• Necessary guidance  to select areas for higher study.
• Guidance for their future

Walk With a Scholar (WWS) scheme proposes to arrange specialized mentoring programs for students in Under Graduate Programs in Arts, Science and Commerce and to provide   necessary orientation to  prepare for employment or necessary guidance for their future.  The scheme introduces the idea of mentoring and builds on the concept of mentor as a ‘Guide’ and ‘Friend’

2. The Context:

The mentoring scheme for students will be purely voluntary in nature. It will be open for all students entering the first year of the Under Graduate Programme of Study. The Scheme aims at giving necessary orientation to needy students, to prepare them for employment and give them necessary guidance, motivation and necessary mental support to identify appropriate areas for higher study as well as employment. The programme introduces the idea of mentoring.  Mentoring is a personal enhancement strategy through which one person facilitates the development of another by sharing known resources, expertise, values, skills, perspectives, attitudes and proficiencies. It allows the learner to build skills and knowledge while attaining goals for career development

3. The Practice:

The initial works of the programme were started in the last week of November, 2012.  The College Council selected Dr. L. ALEX, Asst. Professor of Malayalam as the college level coordinator.  A notice was served and a briefing of the programme has been done by the Coordinator in all the first semester under-graduate classes. As much as 30 students from different disciplines were registered. The programme is aimed to provide necessary orientation, guidance and motivation to the students so as to enrich their talents for higher studies and better employment. Its target is to develop certain generic skills, non-technical competencies, attitudes and behaviors that contribute to a person’s sense of self and personal well-being. The programme is designed in such a manner as to inculcate the potential skills and capabilities of the students. Sessions were arranged on Saturdays and Holidays without affecting the normal academic routine of the students and the college.

Details of Internal Mentoring:

Primarily, students are grouped on the basis of the subject they chose for under-graduation. The science students are allotted to the internal mentor from the faculty of science, commerce students are allotted to the internal mentor from the faculty of commerce, History and Economics students are allotted to the internal mentors from the faculties of humanities and Language students are allotted to the internal mentor from their own faculty.

Name of Internal Mentors: (2012 – 2015  Batch)

Name of Internal Mentors: (2013 – 2016  Batch)

The primary objective of internal mentoring is envisaged to provide the aspirant some customized activities that enhance their learning experience and employability skills. As it requires some training built on the foundations of knowledge, internal mentoring aims at providing some opportunities to catch a meaningful life and better careers with a strong foundation of certain skills, attitudes and competencies.

The pedagogy of the programme concentrates on active study techniques that require the students to think and reason for themselves. Sessions were arranged to open up avenues for achieving personal fulfillment, continued competitiveness, and growth that enable them to make practical judgments, to think on their feet, to act diligently and skillfully and to shape their attitudes to learn and enhance their decision-making abilities. The better the aspirants can explain how and why of their personal traits and attitudes, the more thorough will be their understanding and development. Keeping the frame, the following themes were selected for internal mentoring:

Details of External Mentoring:

Regarding external mentoring, students were allotted to external mentors in the same manner as in the case of internal mentoring. Persons with proven expertise in career guidance, soft skills development, communicative skills, and various competitive examinations were selected as external mentors.

Name of External Mentors and Area Selected for Mentoring:

1. Achuth Sankar . S. Nair, Head of the Department, Department of  BioInformatics, University of Kerala, Kariavattom,

• Area selected for Mentoring: Personality Development,  Methodology of Learning and Information Technology.

2. E, Advocate, Kerala Administrative Tribunal, Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram.

• Area selected for Mentoring: Human Rights and Importance of Advocacy.

3. K.M. Venugopal, Chief Sub Editor,  Bhasha Poshini,  Malayala Manorama,  Kottayam.

• Area selected for Mentoring: Fine tuning Creative potential of the Students.

4. Justine Padamadan, Clinical Psychologist, Jubilee Hospital, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram.

• Area selected for Mentoring: Quality of Life, Motivation, Study Habit and Stress Management.

5. G. S, Karala Social Welfare Board, Pathanamthitta.

• Area selected for Mentoring: Helping individuals to develop and strengthen the Personality.

6. Chandrabose. R, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Malayalam, University College, Thiruvananthapuram. (Former Sub-Editor of Mathrubhumi Daily)

• Area selected for Mentoring: Media Studies especially Print media, Reporting and Editing.

7. Ashish Martin Tom, Asst. Professor, Dept. of English, D.B. College, Thalayolaparambu.

• Area selected for Mentoring: Civil Orientation

We believe that when the instructors create relevant and active learning experiences linking today’s education with tomorrow’s marketplace, students find learning more relevant, rewarding, and practical. Individuals become skilled and knowledgeable by actively engaging their minds as they go through the processes of activity and reflection. Keeping these objectives in mind, the major themes allotted to external mentors are:

4. Evidence of Success:

All the mentors performed their role profoundly well and were highly beneficial and appreciated by the mentees. The mentees got an opportunity to gain wisdom from someone who had traveled the path before them. The sessions gave them not only the means but also the wherewithal to lead a meaningful life. The most significant observation in this regard is that none of the mentees were absent even in a single session of mentoring. The enthusiasm and interest shown by them inspired the mentors as well.