Building a community of mentors: A refuge for students at the public campus of Antananarivo

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on creating a community of mentors to support Seventh - day Adventist students at the University of Antananarivo, addressing the challenges they face due to a lack of guidance and mentorship. The Ambolokandrina-Ankatso Seventh-Day Adventist Church struggles to provide support for these students, resulting in feelings of isolation and hindering their academic and spiritual development. The project proposes establishing a College-Age Mentoring Program, Useful Support (CAMPUS) Ministry, within the church to create a community of mentors who provide essential support. The inspiration for this initiative comes from biblical figures such as Moses, Daniel, Paul, and Jesus, whose lives emphasize the importance of mentorship, spiritual nourishment, and community support during times of academic and personal challenges. The project identifies three key communities crucial for student development: family, education, and spiritual community. These are foundational to the program, drawing from both biblical principles and contemporary mentoring theories. The project begins by training the church board and community members to serve as mentors, fostering an environment where students can receive guidance and feel supported. Although transforming the existing church culture proved challenging, positive feedback was received, particularly for the peer mentoring aspect. However, students expressed a need for a more welcoming and safe space to discuss their concerns. The project, inspired by and in the context of Public Campus Ministries (PCM), advocates for the establishment of a Professional Community of Mentors (PCM2) across Madagascar, with trained mentors consisting of seniors and peer-mentors offering support, guidance, and meaningful relationships to and between students. It also emphasizes the need of appointing campus chaplains at major universities to provide spiritual leadership and pastoral care. Through these initiatives, the Ambolokandrina-Ankatso Church can serve as a model for holistic student support, helping students thrive academically, spiritually, and personally. This approach could be replicated across Madagascar, ensuring that students are supported in all aspects of their university journey.