Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

NACADA Region 2 Conference (continued)

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Friday, March 15, 9:45pm


We were very impressed with the quality of the presentations at NACADA Region 2 today.  We learned how to gather data quickly while continuing to develop a complete assessment plan (have each student write down one thing s/he learned after an advising session!), how to improve on-boarding of a new staff member through interactions with a Welcome Buddy, and how to engage first-year students during orientation by integrating interactive polling through the use of clickers.  The PSU Liberal Arts presenters were poised and energetic in their sessions and received great reviews.  Two more groups look forward to presenting tomorrow!  We also confirmed, once again, that is is great fun to dine with the advisers of the College of the Liberal Arts!
 
Monday, March 18
 
Back to work!  The first group of advisers returned safely to State College on Saturday after a quick hour and a half stop on I-80 behind an accident.  Happily, everyone was ok, and we shared a lot of laughs during the slowdown.  The final presentations from our group had gone smoothly Saturday morning, including the Large Roster CPR session, which received all positive evaluations!!!!  Sunday our research crew returned from the Research Symposium after considering several different topics for exploration including the development of student identity with the College and the experience of students transitioning from Commonwealth Campuses or other institutions to the College of the Liberal Arts at University Park.  Look for a post later this week that includes reflections from many of the staff who attended the conference.

NACADA Region 2 Conference 2013

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Thursday, March 14, 2013

I was up bright and early this morning packing my suitcase for an adventure to exotic New Brunswick, New Jersey with 11 advisers, one van, one sedan and, hopefully, many laughs.  Twelve of us from the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Advising unit are traveling to the Region 2 conference of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).  Not only do we hope to learn a lot from our advising colleagues at other mid-Atlantic institutions, but we also plan to share our knowledge through four presentations!  You can even watch the Social Media presentation live streaming at 11am Friday 3/15 (we’ll share the link as soon as we have it).  Stay tuned for updates throughout the conference.  Wish us luck!

Thursday, 9:35pm

Despite the PSU sedan taking Route 322 and the PSU van taking I-80, we all arrived in New Brunswick safely.  LA Advisers met DUS advisers whom they had never encountered at UP.  The conference committee comprised of advisers from various schools already assuaged the fears of the Social Media team about how well their internet connection would work during their presentation.  An adviser participating in our presentation on the ways we connect all of the advisers who report centrally but are geographically dispersed commented on how much it meant to ride in a car with LA advisers that she doesn’t see every day and to share dinner with yet other LA advisers that she didn’t know that well before.  The professional development opportunity to attend this conference made those connections possible even though we all come to the same campus every day.  We look forward to learning from other advisers tomorrow during the concurrent sessions.  We will also share our experiences and ideas regarding supporting students through a campus crisis (8:30am) and utilizing social media in advising (11:00am).

Friday, March 15, 7:30am

Getting ready for breakfast and our first presentation of the day.  Good luck to Kristie Kalvin, Greg Nolan, and Mary Cameron who will be discussing the student response to a campus crisis and how advisers supported them. 

 If you want to get in on the action, you can watch our team’s presentation about social media in advising at 11am at this url:  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nacada-region-2-conference-2013

Drew Yingling and Ben Whitesell are going to go viral!!

 

Making the Transition: An Adviser’s Perspective

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Welcome to the College of the Liberal Arts and Penn State University Park!

As you begin your journey as part of the University Park community, I would like to share a few  pointers from the perspective of the advising staff who are here to guide you academically for the remainder of your degree program.  You will learn that the advising staff in the College of the Liberal Arts are dedicated and spirited folks who truly enjoy working with students.  They really are happier now that you are here!

So, before you take their advice — who are these advisers?  According to the University Undergraduate Advising Handbook,  advisers support students in:

  • Setting goals
  • Following their intellectual curiosity
  • Participating fully in curricular and co-curricular experiences at the university and in the community
  • Making decisions for themselves

Find the adviser for your major here.

Advisers say . . .

  • Visit your adviser as soon as you get to campus or whenever you have a question.  You can visit advisers during walk-in hours January 7-16 and through walk-ins or appointments the rest of the semester.  Advisers also answer questions over the phone and through email.  Watch an informative video about how to schedule an appointment with your adviser.  It’s available in the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Advising Video Library.   Advising also now has a Twitter feed.  Follow @AdvisingLAatPSU.
  • Jump in!  Because you are arriving at UP with college credits, you are closer to graduation than typical “new” students.  You don’t have as much time to acclimate and to get involved in cool stuff that will help you to achieve the future you are envisioning (such as internships, study abroad, double majors, graduating with Honors, etc.).  Start asking questions and meeting people right away.  Your adviser can direct you to helpful resources (like the ones listed below), which is a good reason to meet your adviser right away.
  • Introduce yourself to your professors.  UP is a big place with a lot of people.  Your professors will not know you well unless you make a (positive) impact.  It’s intimidating, but building relationships with your professors will be crucial when you need letters of recommendation, opportunities to participate in research, or advice about your field.  Visit office hours, ask questions about the material from your classes (not JUST when you have a test), and participate in class when you have the opportunity.
  • Learn outside of class.  Participation in clubs, honor societies, Greek life, part-time jobs, etc. will all help you to develop knowledge and skills that will be appealing to graduate or professional schools and employers.  Find something you like and show up!  Don’t just be a member.  Volunteer for committees, train new staff, run for office.
  • Be bold.  Yes, many of the other students in your classes have been at UP for a semester or for years already.  Yes, some clubs might already have all of their leadership positions filled.  Yes, many students will already have a group of friends and aren’t necessarily looking for any more.  All of these concerns have a kernel of truth, but you can eliminate their effect by trying something else if your first attempt isn’t successful, by participating in any way you can, by meeting your faculty, by having the guts to walk up to someone in class and ask to study together, by utilizing support offices on campus to get integrated, and by just going for it!  Be persistent.  Be open to possibilities.  Be bold.

Jamie Brenner is the Coordinator of Academic Advising for the College of the Liberal Arts.  She can be reached at jsm36@psu.edu or 814-863-2112.  Follow her on Twitter @JamieBrennerPSU.

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