Peer academic advisor / en Meet Peer Academic Advisor Kennedi Wilson: Helping Students Achieve Success at Mason /news/2022-12/meet-peer-academic-advisor-kennedi-wilson-helping-students-achieve-success-mason <span>Meet Peer Academic Advisor Kennedi Wilson: Helping Students Achieve Success at Mason</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/586" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Andrew J Schappert</span></span> <span>Mon, 12/05/2022 - 14:21</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="124fcd63-c4b4-465e-b78b-f63c1f00be21"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://schar.gmu.edu/why-study-here/admissions/request-more-information"> <h4 class="cta__title">Request program information <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-info-circle" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style="--fa-primary-color: #000000; --fa-secondary-color: #000000;"></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="1cc216ad-87e5-4fc3-825b-0a7ef6b80cd9"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://schar.gmu.edu/discover-schar-school-0"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn more about the Schar School <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-info-circle" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style="--fa-primary-color: #000000; --fa-secondary-color: #000000;"></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-12/Kennedi-Wilson-peer-advisor-web.jpg" width="700" height="400" alt="A woman gestures at a computer while a man sits in a chair next to her desk." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Kennedi Wilson: ‘The peer academic advisors are students just like you and we're just here to help. It's what we love to do.’ Photo by Gerardo Valladares/Schar School of Policy and Government</figcaption></figure><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-12/Kennedi-Wilson-web.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="Kennedi Wilson" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Kennedi Wilson</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Different academic units at AV provide students opportunities to help one another as peer mentors, tutors, and ambassadors. At the </span></span></span><a href="http://schar.gmu.edu/"><span><span><span>Schar School</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>, students can become peer advisors.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Peer academic advisors like Kennedi Wilson assist fellow Schar School students with course registration and concentration/minor selection while also acting as a resource to answer questions they may have about the school or programs. Peer academic advisors help ensure students achieve scholastic and personal success at Mason.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Wilson should know her way around a course catalog: She is a senior, double majoring in </span></span></span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/programs/undergraduate/government-and-international-politics"><span><span><span>government and international politics</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span> and Spanish while also pursuing an </span></span></span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/programs/academic-advising-and-student-services/accelerated-masters-programs"><span><span><span>accelerated master’s in public policy</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>“I've been a resident advisor for three years, and my experiences providing student support have been helpful in being a peer academic advisor,” she said. “Knowing the different resources, programs, and activities happening on campus has allowed me to help students like myself in reaching their goals, whether by answering questions or just giving advice on what classes would be a good fit for them.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Sometimes she has to have that tough conversation and remind students not pick classes just to get an “easy A.” </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>“I encourage people to take classes they can take something away from,” she said. “Students should consider taking a class in a subject they are either passionate about or would like to learn more about.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Wilson has office hours in the Aquia Building, the Fairfax Campus home of the Schar School, where she helps students on their academic journeys. One advising appointment in particular stands out. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>“I had a student who didn’t enjoy their major and was trying to figure out what was best for them. I talked to them about what they enjoyed doing and what they saw themself doing in the future,” she recalled. “We worked out a plan and the student changed majors to </span></span></span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/programs/undergraduate/public-administration-bs"><span><span><span>public administration</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>. Advising appointments like these are really fulfilling.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Ann Ludwick, the assistant dean for undergraduate academic affairs who oversees the advisors, notes that peer academic advisors exist to involve upper class Schar School students who have a desire to help others with their college experience. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>“We appreciate the student voice—we need to tap into that area of expertise, their experiences navigating at Mason,” she said. “We appreciate embracing these roles because it improves our advising and informs the way we work with students and the programming we can provide students.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>As it turns out, the advisor benefited from advising.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>“Dr. Ludwick has been the main reason that I have been able to balance my two majors, a minor, and do an accelerated master’s in public policy all at the same time,” Wilson said. “She has helped me tremendously by bringing opportunities available in the Schar School to my attention and helping me make a four-year plan for class registration. So when I saw the Schar School was looking for Peer Academic Advisors I was excited to apply.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>Students can schedule a meeting with academic and peer advisors at the Schar School through </span></span></span><a href="https://advising.gmu.edu/ssc/" target="_blank"><span><span><span><span>NavigateMason</span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span> or come to the Aquia Building, Room 335, for walk-in appointments. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>The Schar School advising team is happy to help students with course registration, academic advice, or anything else. Wilson encourages students to send an email or schedule an appointment.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN" xml:lang="EN" xml:lang="EN"><span><span>“You never want to go into something being uncertain if there are people that can help address any concerns that you may have,” she said. “The peer academic advisors are students just like you and we're just here to help. It's what we love to do. It’s what I love to do.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17386" hreflang="en">Peer academic advisor</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17346" hreflang="en">Schar School News December 2022</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18821" hreflang="en">Schar School Student Spotlight</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 05 Dec 2022 19:21:02 +0000 Andrew J Schappert 103756 at