‘Mental Revolution’ which was proposed by President Joko Widodo during his campaign period in 2014 has took the interest of various parties, including the educational institutions. Jokowi stated that as a nation, Indonesia should know, understand, and uphold the nation’s original character: politeness, friendliness, and virtuosity. Jokowi also added that character education is believed to be able to change mindset and thus, it is believed to be the solution for human to be encouraged to learn how to listen and to increase their sensitivity as well as awareness. This concept has been adopted by UPH since a pretty long time, and UPH intends to keep supporting character educaton through the mentorship program.
Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) introduces the mentorship program as a wiser student orientation program. The mentoring program in UPH is life giving; the mentors become more than just a senior for the new students, they become friends who assist the new students who are undergoing a transition process.
The mentorship process is designed to bear a long-lasting family; there are a number of steps for a senior student to become a mentor. Prospective mentors would have to undergo training, which will be done for two times. In the training, prospective mentors are equipped with skills and knowledge to be able to guide their juniors. After the training, they will be ready to become a mentor.
With a direct assistance from the Student Life Department of UPH, the success of this program could not be separated from the S.M.A.R.T (Study. Maturity. Abstinence. Responsibility. Talent) that were given to them during their training. Through the module, new students will be guided in a small group with mentor and mentees, and they will undergo a self-developmental session. During the session, mentors are supposed to listen to the problems, issues, and hardships that their mentee experience during their transition time. Mentor can also share some values they’ve gotten from their experience.
“We hope that these mentors are able to realize the vision of UPH. A mentor has to have the 4C; a mentor has to have a calling, that is the calling to serve; secondly, a mentor has to have character, one with integrity and one that can become the role model for their mentee; thirdly, they need to have competence, they need to have basic academic skill in order for them to do tutoring and even basic counseling if needed; fourthly, compassion. Mentor has to love their mentees as fellow God’s children,” said Kevin Jonathan, Information Engineering batch 2015, as the Head Mentor 2018/2019.
Moreover, Kevin explained that the mentorship process is done in a year of tenure during the first semester of college, starting from the period of students’ orientation or UPH Festival. However, the mentors have to keep the good relationship with their mentee as friends, senior, and also as a good role model for them.
Through the mentoring program in UPH, Kevin hope that the new students, who will become the mentee, can develop their life-skills, leadership, their social spirit, spirituality, as well as the spirit to serve God and other. (pl)