Advisor of the month: July 2023

What do you enjoy about your role in advising?
I love talking to students. My favorite part of this job is learning their stories and really getting to know who they are as people. I want them to always know that I'm here to celebrate their wins with them, but also help them readjust and pick up the pieces if something doesn't go quite like they planned.

In what ways have you contributed to advising in your department/area?
Something my team and I are trying this semester is open student hours, where no matter if you are our advisee or not, we are available to answer any quick questions. We're working on building a positive office environment so that students will want to come visit and take advantage of our open door policy. I also teach our department's FYE, which allows me to further connect with our students and stress how important advising is.

What advice would you give to other professionals who want to a make a difference in the life of their students?
Ask questions. Genuinely want to get to know who they are not just in the classroom, but outside of it as well. And let them get to know you. It goes a long way for a student to be able to connect to our own stories.