During the operation of the Welcome Point, which was situated at the University of Lodz Library ('BUŁA'), and even before its proper launch, the International Relations Ofiice staff watched the Mentors closely. After a thorough assessment, they selected the most involved ones, who repeatedly supported new students with their knowledge and willingly integrated with them.
The chosen mentors were invited to the Faculty of Management where they received certificates for their dedication, valuable time and constant activity. The certificates were signed by Robert Zakrzewski, the University of Lodz Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Education.
The event started with delicious refreshments and integration in a nice atmosphere. Then the mentors were warmly welcomed by the organisers and
received thanks for the fruitful and successful cooperation. After touching speeches, each of the mentors received a personalised certificate.
The whole meeting took place in a wonderful, cheerful atmosphere and laughter echoed almost constantly. I was happy to see other Mentors again. The certificates handed out by the Vice-Rector were also a pleasant surprise. I felt very appreciated
– says Karolina Zarzycka, a Mentor of the University of Lodz from Poland.
No similar event, of course, could have taken place without a commemorative photo. Moreover, the Mentors were positively surprised by the compilation of videos, which gave them a direct overview of what they had achieved. Another point of the meeting was the discussion, during which they shared their observations, comments and suggestions that will help IRO staff plan such initiatives even better in the coming years.
It was great to meet with the Mentors after Welcome Point. It was an opportunity to share our experiences and ideas with the IRO staff to run this project even more efficiently in the future
– adds Muhammad Ali, a Mentor of the University of Lodz from Pakistan.
It was nice to hear what this experience has given them. For most, it became an opportunity to face their fears. They admitted that they had gained self-confidence and realised that their English was better than they had expected. Welcome Point, in particular, was a safe place to make mistakes. No one assessed language skills here, because the most important task was to help another person.
The meeting at the Faculty of Management ended with a round of Jenga, a game of skill and intelligence (it was also very popular at Welcome Point). However, there was a catch in this version: each block had a hidden question that allowed one to check what the Mentors actually remembered from their training. At the very end of the game, the IRO staff could honestly say that they could not have come across better Mentors – they are all living proof that the students of the University of Lodz have big hearts.
We are looking forward to the second edition of the project, with an even larger selection of Mentors from the University of Lodz. Who knows, maybe YOU are one of the fantastic Mentors that we are looking for?
Photo report of the meeting of Mentors of the University of Lodz at the Faculty of Management
Source: International Relations Office,University of Lodz
Edit: Communications and PR Centre,University of Lodz
Photos: Maciej Andrzejewski, Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz
The Project funded by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange under the Welcome to Poland Programme (2022)
