When you meet with students, what's most important to you?

It is most important to me that students leave our conversation feeling seen and heard. This starts by ensuring the student feels comfortable and respected throughout our meeting. My next priority is to assess what we need to accomplish during our time together to ensure we work on the student's goals for the meeting. In preparing to connect with our students, as Advisors we are often able to quickly identify areas where we feel we can add value to support the student. Yet, it is highly important to me that my focus remains on the student's goals. It is critical that I work to earn each student's trust by remaining flexible to adapt to their unique needs, demonstrating I have heard what is most important to them. In my advising practice, I work to focus my support on what is most pressing from the student's perspective, rather than prioritizing agenda items I may have prepared.

What's one experience outside the classroom that shaped your college journey?

To receive my Bachelor of Social Work degree and obtain my license to practice upon graduation, I was required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of field instruction during my senior year of my undergraduate program. For my entire senior year, I had the opportunity to work 10-15 hours each week at an outpatient substance abuse treatment clinic. This was by far the most impactful experience of my college career. At the clinic, I facilitated treatment groups for court-mandated clients, completed individual counseling sessions, and worked on policy letters to advocate for legal reforms. This experience was deeply humbling and gave me a profound sense of gratitude for being able to engage in work that centers around supporting individuals along their life journeys. This perspective is one I carry with me still in my advising practice today.

What's something you struggled with as a student, and what helped you in that situation?

Throughout my years as a college student, I struggled with trying to identify an academic path that would support me in finding a career. I loved to study many diverse topics, but my academic interests did not seem to provide me with a clear path to a future career I would be excited about. I loved to paint, but did not see myself at a desk all day by myself painting for a career. What helped me the most throughout this process was taking an inventory of tasks I enjoyed, which included one on one interactions and explaining information to people. I then discussed this with one of my professors. After going through this process, I thought social work would provide me with the best opportunity to apply these skills in many career settings. It was not until six years into my social work career that I realized the industry I wanted to use these skills in - higher education!

Have you experienced "culture shock" when traveling to or living in a new place? What helped you navigate that experience and what did you ultimately learn from it?

I grew up in the metro-Detroit area, not far from Ann Arbor. In my first year of college, I moved to a remote area in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The change of environment was quite an adjustment at first. I was suddenly in classrooms with other students who talked about having to drive 30 minutes to reach a grocery store, or not having any stop-lights in the town they grew up in. I also heard many stories from students who were from rural areas experiencing significant poverty. Having this experience as a teenager expanded my worldview immensely and allowed me to build decades long friendships with people who had vastly different backgrounds and perspectives than me. Sharing in their interests, visiting their hometowns, and being exposed to new places and activities, ultimately made me a much more adaptable and multifaceted person.