Professor Opoko Highlights Mentorship as Key to Personal and Professional Growth at Bells University

On Day 3 of the ongoing conference at Bells University of Technology, Professor Pearl Akunnaya Opoko delivered an insightful presentation on the significance of mentorship, emphasizing its pivotal role in academic and professional development. She described mentorship as an indispensable tool, accessible and free, with numerous individuals ready to offer guidance.

In her address, Professor Opoko dispelled common misconceptions about mentoring, stressing its importance in providing emotional, academic, and professional support for both staff and students. She outlined the essential traits of a good mentor, including empathy, confidence, and confidentiality, and emphasized that mentorship benefits both parties—mentors gain fulfillment and knowledge, while mentees improve their skills and overall outcomes.

Professor Opoko also identified potential challenges in mentorship, such as boundary issues, offering strategies like setting clear goals and maintaining professionalism to overcome these obstacles. She further called for the creation of an enabling environment for mentorship, recommending strategic planning and stakeholder involvement to embed mentorship into the university's core practices.

Her presentation underscored the transformative power of mentorship in fostering personal growth and creating effective relationships within the academic community.