By Arshad Hamid and Shazni Ong
GOMBAK, 14 November 2014: It was Olympiad Day, an event organised by Communication Students Association (COSA) not only aimed for physical exercises but an opportunity for students to get to know their lecturers in an informal and relaxed setting held at the Female Sports Complex, IIUM today.
This programme was designed for Communication-major students to get to know their lecturers through “Mentor-Mentee Sharing Moment” where they were grouped according to assigned lecturers as their mentors and involved in a sharing moment, either related to academic or personal matters, to find ways and means to improve in their academic performance and studies.
Some 100 students attended the event together with 10 lecturers from the Department of Communication. The event proceeded with physical games that saw the participation of lecturers and the students. Also attended the programme were former IIUM Rector (now a senior academic member of the Department), Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi Idid, and the Head of Communication Department, Dr. Zeti Azreen Ahmad.
“The Olympiad was a great success, not only physically challenging the students’ skills but also mentally challenging their basic knowledge on Communication Theory and Practice,” said programme manager, Wan Eizzul Islam Wan Zulkifli.
“Hopefully everyone enjoyed both the Olympiad and Mentor-Mentee programme. It’s a real good chance for everybody to make new friends and strengthen the ukhuwah,” he said.
“My appreciation goes to the COSA committee and those who supported this event, including Communication lecturers, to make it a real success,” Wan Eizzul added.
One senior student, Wan Ahmad Khairi bin Wan Ahmad, who participated in the event, said the programme was indeed a success judging by the number of students who turned up at the event which he said was encouraging.
“I felt the Mentor-Mentee session is one beneficial programme where students are able to get to know their lecturers better in a more informal and friendly environment. Hence, providing rooms for wider discussion with their lecturers,” Wan Ahmad Khairi said.
Wan Ahmad Khairi added: “Not only that, it could help to create a special bonding between the senior and junior students to share their knowledge and experience of learning in this university. I would recommend that COSA continue with for this kind of programme in future.”
Meanwhile, the programme advisor, Dr. Aini Maznina explained: “At the Department of Communication, we consider Mentor-Mentee programme an important platform for students to develop healthy relationship with lecturers, thus bridging the gap between them. That’s why we organise this session every semester in the hope that students would use the platform to consult their lecturers and benefit from it.”
“For this semester, the nature of the programme is a bit different as it involved indoor games like telematch and other physical activities that gave opportunities for students and lecturers to interact. It seemed the participants enjoyed it very much,” Dr. Aini added. ***