Mentoring at Strathmore University: Towards Companion Friendship
Date
2014-06
Authors
Muigua, Thomas R.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
This dissertation is concerned with mentoring at Strathmore University. The study developed and tested
the hypothesis that mentoring at Strathmore University can be moved from status of hidden curriculum to
status of official curriculum through the use of Professional Licensing and mentoring handbook. The
study also looked at what exactly characterize Strathmore University’s institutional culture and the place
of mentoring in that culture. The study used mixed research method where; survey research method was
used to get students’ understanding and perception of both mentoring and Strathmore University
institutional culture; philosophical method was used to offer analysis and contribution of Aristotle on
friendship; while researcher’s personal experiences as mentor for four and half years at Strathmore
University were used in the clarification of data. The population used for the study comprised of
undergraduate students at Strathmore University. The study used three data sets arising from the foresaid
research methods comprising of: student’s questionnaire, primary and secondary data on Aristotle’s
treatise on friendship and researcher’s personal experiences as a mentor at Strathmore University.
Friendship came out in the research findings as a major element of Strathmore University’s institutional
culture and a benefit of mentoring by students and hence acting as a means that can be used to improve
mentoring at Strathmore University. The study spelled out how Strathmore University’s institutional
culture and mentoring can be enhanced by Aristotle’s concept of friendship. The discussion on friendship
further offered a philosophical input into mentoring at Strathmore University proposing that mentors and
mentees are meant to get to the level of perfect friends or companion friends for mentoring to be
effective. The study concluded that the hypothesis that mentoring at Strathmore University can be moved
from status of hidden curriculum to status of official curriculum through the use of Professional Licensing
and mentoring handbook is a null hypothesis. The study opened a new area that can enhance mentoring
and Strathmore University institutional culture namely, professional friendship.
Description
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Applied Philosophy and Ethics
Keywords
Hidden Curriculum, Institutional Culture, Mentoring, Friendship