Engaging with Your Academic Advisor
Your academic advisor is someone who is going to be there for you over the next four years, it is important to get to know them! Advisors are so much more than a few times a year meeting, and they can help you really be successful throughout your college experience. It may seem silly to be so proactive with your advisor, but they really are the starting point to resources all over campus. The impact they can make is substantial, so it is up to you to start engaging!
Getting Started. Wanting to get to know your academic advisor better but don’t know where to start? The Launchpad Student Success Center was created just for freshman and undeclared students just like you! There is a team of advisors who are ready to push you to be the best student you can be. The Launchpad is located in the Volpe Library in Room 180. Send them an email to sit down and discuss your goals and priorities for the next four years. This will be a perfect way for them to get to know you outside of your academic schedule. The Launchpad also offers programs throughout the year that will allow you to jump in and get to spend more time with your academic advisor as well as your peers! There are plenty of ways to engage with your academic advisor more so they truly know you, and this is pivotal for your college experience!
Resources. Your academic advisor really is the one-stop shop for all resources on campus. If there is ever a time where you’re unsure of who to reach out to next, your academic advisor is going to be the best person to talk to! They have an abundance of connections across the entire campus from math professors to athletic coaches, they know them all and who would be best to talk to. If your academic advisor knows you personally, they will be even better at recommendations for you. This is why it is so important for your advisor to really know you, so they can give you the best information of how to move forward!
Opportunities. Another benefit of engaging with your advisor would be all the opportunities that will fall across campus that your advisor will know about. The more contact you have with your advisor the sooner you will get to know the next best thing that is coming to campus! Whether that is a job offer or just a club to join, the more your advisor gets to know you the better they can be at recommending opportunities for you across campus. It is never a bad idea to be proactive with your advisor, you never know where their recommendations could lead. Your advisor wants the absolute best for you, and they can truly accomplish this the better they get to know you!
Engaging with your academic advisor is so much more important than it may seem your first year here at Tennessee Tech! The more engaged you are the more they will inform you about different opportunities or programs happening on campus. The importance of staying engaged with your academic advisor is pivotal for your college career!