On Wednesday Oct. 1, A&M-Commerce held its first ever Ask Your Advisor event. The event was from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and served as a forum for students to ask questions and air concerns to advisers in an informal setting.
The idea was initially generated by DeQuetta Sanders, senior academic advisor for the College of Education and Human Services Mentoring, Advising and Planning Center.
“I’ve always felt like outreach is a big component of success with students,” Sanders said. “I thought all the advising centers should get together and place ourselves where the students are and it bloomed from there.”
In addition to Sanders involvement, Omar Brown, Undergraduate advisor for The College of Business and Technology, and Katrina Watkins, advisor for The College of Arts and Sciences participated in the event.
Brown, who received both his Bachelors of Applied Arts & Sciences and MBA at A&M-Commerce, said that due to his genuine interest and care for students, the Ask Your Advisor event was a way to make an impact.
“If students make use of this opportunity, it will be beneficial to them,” Brown said. “We are here to assist them in ensuring that they get the best level of education in the shortest possible time.”
According to Watkins, one of the advantages of attending A&M-Commerce is having a group of advisors who are eager to assist students in anyway that they can.
“We are more student-oriented in our advising office,” Watkins said. “At some of the larger universities, students only meet with their academic advisor maybe once or twice. We encourage students to meet with us regularly to ensure they are on track in completing their degree requirements.”
Oftentimes, students can become easily intimidated by the prospect of reviewing their academic history in a one-on-one setting with a person they aren’t exactly familiar with. Additionally, the idea of asking someone “stupid” questions can also be unsettling obviously.
But Sanders stresses the importance of seeking guidance rather than being ill informed, academically speaking.
“I think a lot of students are just afraid of what might happen,” Sanders said. “It’s a mindset that we’re trying to change. Sometimes I just want to say ‘hey listen, we’re not the big bad wolf, we’re not going to bite you!'”
Animal Science major Michal Sorrells sees the event as not only a way to get to know an advisor, but also, fellow students.
“Hopefully I’d get to speak with my advisor about what classes I needed to take and meet other students who are interested in the same things as me,” Sorrells said.
As indicated by Sanders, the event will be held the first Wednesday of every month outside of the campus bookstore in the Memorial Student Center during regular lunchtime hours.
Sanders also recommended that students not wait until the last minute when attempting to clear up scholastic matters.
“This is an opportunity to shine personally, socially, and academically,” Sanders said. “Care about your education and believe me, you’ll find other people who care just as much as you do.”