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November 2004

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Advisors and student mentors in the Academic Advising Office reach out to students
By Kate Szumanski    

       From art history and astrophysics to theology and Women’s Studies, the world of liberal arts and sciences at Villanova is rich in intellectual opportunity and promise. Navigating and making sense of that vast and stimulating world, however, can seem like a daunting and insurmountable task. Now, students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences needn’t feel overwhelmed by their academic life at the University, as if they have to “go it alone” without any formal guidance and support.

   The Academic Advising Office in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which opened its doors to students in August, seeks to engage students in thoughtful dialogue to explore the multiple dimensions of their college experience, including the intellectual, cultural, social, spiritual,and ethical dimensions that shape their Villanova education. This multi-faceted approach to academic advising, which emphasizes the whole person and “big-picture ideas,” distinguishes Villanova’s approach from that of other academic advising centers in colleges and universities across the country that largely stress course selection and degree fulfillment.  

    “It goes without saying that academic advisement should focus on course selection and degree fulfillment,” said Dr. Nancy Kelley, director of the Academic Advising Office. “But our mission goes beyond the ‘nuts and bolts’ tenets of academic advisement and concentrates on our students’ overall level of intellectual engagement, cultural development, social involvement, and spiritual awareness.”

Faculty advisors and peer student mentors in the office collaborate with advisees:

• To set exciting, realistic, and flexible goals, and to develop well-conceived educational and personal plans for a student’s college experience.

• To discover the rich opportunities, both on and off campus, available to students.

• To support students as they implement, alter, and refine their educational and personal plans throughout their college years.

   As part of the Office’s outreach strategy and publicity efforts this summer, more than 35 faculty advisors spent almost three weeks contacting first-year students by telephone, welcoming them to Villanova and explaining the services offered by the office. “The purpose of making these calls was twofold,” Kelley said. “First, we wanted to make sure that students were enrolled in the right courses, but second and more important, we wanted to let students know that we’re here and eager to serve them.”

   Members of the Academic Advising Office – including administrators and faculty and student mentors – bring to their conversations deep respect for the uniqueness of the individual, knowledge of curricular and co-curricular choices, careful attention to the requirements of the college, and sincere openness and honesty with students. The Office provides technical and qualitative training for faculty and student mentors, all of whom are committed to implement a comprehensive program that assists students in defining academic, career, and personal goals – with an emphasis on integrity and responsibility.

   Richard J. Light, Ph.D., the Walter H. Gale Professor of Education at Harvard University, writes about the challenging problems in American higher education in his most recent book, Making the Most of College. He writes, “During more than 10 years of research for this book, I visited more than 90 colleges …. Of all the challenges that both faculty and students choose to mention, good academic advising ranked number one.” He goes on to write in his book: “Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience.” Interestingly, the results of the Villanova University Senior Survey and the Student Government Association (SGA) Student Survey confirmed Light’s findings: quality academic advisement is paramount to a student’s satisfaction, achievement, and ultimate success.

   The Academic Advising Office seeks to engage students as early as possible in their Villanova career in thoughtful discussions about academic opportunities available in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and others offered by the University, such as internships, service learning courses, study abroad programs, graduate education, and career services assistance. In addition, faculty and student advisors provide student advisees with informed access to the vast array of other University services available to them, such as the College’s Math Learning Resource Center, Writing Center, language tutors, University’s Center for Learning Support, Career Services Center, Counseling Center and Office of Campus Ministry.

   For example, to assist students as they learn more about graduate education in the fields of law, business, and medicine, the Academic Advising Office in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences acts as a liaison between students and faculty advisors to provide specialized direction, advice, and resources aimed at helping students make appropriate choices in graduate education so that they are poised to achieve their career goals. In addition, the Academic Advising Office collaborates with the Office of Undergraduate Grants and Awards to help students learn about and prepare to compete for the most prestigious graduate scholarships and fellowships such as Marshall, Gates, Fulbright, and Rhodes Scholarships.

   For more information on the Academic Advising Office, or to schedule interviews with office staff and student mentors for publication, please contact Kate Szumanski, director of college communications, at 98104 or kathryn.szumanski@villanova.edu.