” The Advising Success Center aims to create a warm, supporting environment to help NJIT Students navigate their first year transition into NJIT.” Sarah Vandermark- Director, NJIT Advising Success Center
The newly created NJIT Advising Success Center is an ambitious group that aims to address many of the issues surrounding college students. Created in July 2013, the Center was made for the purpose of being a source of support for NJIT students. Upon learning about this group, I wondered what does the advising center do? From visiting and meeting with some members from the center I have learned a great deal about their functions.
The Advising Success Center serves the NJIT students who help define this university. The center assists students who have undecided majors, struggling with their studies, or who simply need the support from the immense pressures of college life. It was impressive to learn that since this group was created from NJIT’s upper management, they have the resources and have partners from all of the academic departments to be able to be there for students. In addition, their mission to quality and providing a personalized experience for students shows that they can unlock their potential to grow. Though this program is currently concentrated for this year’s undergraduate freshmen students, the success of this program will lead to expansion to include all of NJIT students in the nearby future. On a personal note, this program was amazing to know, this will help students get their money’s worth here at NJIT, and it will help them in realizing how this school can contribute so much to their personal development.
Here are some features in which the Success Center plays an important role:
– PALs– Peer Advisor Liaison:
PALs is a thriving group of NJIT students from different majors who have joined the Success Center as peer mentors. I have had the opportunity to meet a few of the students. They are dedicated, intelligent, and possess the perspectives as current NJIT students to help others within their major. If you have the opportunity to know these students, you’ll be provided with the guidance, networking, and the support that you need to do well in your overall college experience.
–Map Works
It’s a new software program currently used to track the progress of all undergraduate freshmen students. This helps the Success Center identify students who may experience problems with their courses, since they will be a high priority for the Center to help out. With the Fall Survey Transition, a mandatory survey all freshmen have to take, it will also help the Center gauge the overall student satisfaction.
When such high risk students are known, the quicker the help can be given to them. Such initiatives make such a positive difference towards students.
– Hosted Events
The Center plans to hold workshop events ranging from Time Management, Networking/Icebreakers, and volunteering. This provides NJIT students with more opportunity to get involved. Recently, they hosted the Major/ Minor fair so that NJIT students undecided or wanting to switch their majors can have the opportunity to interact with representatives from different departments.
–Academic Advisor student meetings
The Success Center will closely work with all advisors from all of the majors to ensure that they do provide the right feedback and guidance to students. Through effective communication, the Success Center is working hard to ensure that all students are given a quality advisement.
For more information about the Academic Advising Center, here is their important contact information:
Academic Advising Center
Fenster Hall 420
(973) 596-5598
[email protected]