The college experience goes far beyond the classroom, and in UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), perhaps no one sees that more clearly than the two people whose goal is to get every student through their first year: Kristin Rusboldt (Director of Advising and Student Success) and Abigail Hart (Undergraduate Academic Advisor). In describing their goal, Hart explains:
“We believe in holistic advising, meaning that we don’t just focus on a student’s academic successes and status, but we also want to know how they’re doing personally, socially, and professionally, too. Even though my advising group is about two hundred students, I make sure my meetings are long enough to ask them how they are and if they feel like they’re finding ways to connect to campus. That helps them know that someone cares about them not only as a student but as a person. We truly believe that our students are people first.”
Rusboldt agrees: “We want students to know we are engaged in their journey, that they matter, their path matters, and that we are here to support that path. I make sure students understand that I’m not here to tell them what to do. I tell them, ‘I am not your parent, but I am your support system while you are here. I’m your behind-the-scenes cheerleader.’”
To do that, CVPA and UNCG use a student-success system called Starfish, which allows professors to send flags, kudos, and referrals. Rusboldt calls Starfish an early-alert system, which allows faculty and advisors to work together toward student success:
“It can provide positive messages like ‘we’re so proud of you,’ ‘you’re showing improvement,’ or ‘we love your voice in the classroom.’ It can also be a way to say, ‘something’s off here, and you might need some help.’ The great thing about the Starfish flags is they go to various support systems on campus the student might need.”
Those support systems might be academic help centers or counseling services for assistance with issues such as test anxiety or stress management.
“I think what makes us unique here is that after we make these recommendations, we are dedicated to the follow-up,” says Rusboldt. “Maybe we walk them over to one of the centers, or we might check in later and ask how their session went. If we get a Starfish flag, the conversation is never ‘Hey, you’re not going to class.’ We ask them what is happening in their dorm, their work situation, their life, to try to find out what might be hindering their ability to attend class. We let them know that we understand that life can be stressful. Then we ask, ‘How can we help you through whatever is going on. What can we do to help you be successful?’”
Hart adds: “If I get a Starfish flag from a professor about a student’s grades, I let my advisee know that ultimately I’m not so worried about the academics as I am about them as a person.”
Students see their advisors three times in their first year, then transition to a faculty advisor who is a professor in their major. There are activities to help them feel connected to the University and to one other, including UNCG’s Nav1Gate kickoff event, during which the entire student body convenes to learn about campus life then meets in groups in their Schools and Colleges. CVPA also hosts various events through the Peer Guide program and programming at Cone Residence Hall, also known as Studio 91, which is the campus arts living community:
“We want to make students feel as though they belong from the minute they step on campus,” explains Hart. “We had about ten events in the fall semester in Studio 91 including a karaoke night, which was a huge hit! We also employ students from each of our schools (Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre) who are our Peer Guides. Peer Guides also do events and send check-in emails. Their goal is to intentionally bond with first-year students and to create a sense of belonging and community.”
Taylor Aldredge is a senior about to graduate with a BA in Drama and a minor in Musical Theatre. As a Peer Guide, she has a cohort of fifty students in the School of Theatre with whom she communicates regularly:
“I’m here if you need help with classes or anything. We’ve just added the tutoring aspect to this, but we’ve always offered to help with homework if needed. If you need just an upperclassman or someone else to who has been in your shoes, Peer Guides are here. We can be an academic resource or just be a friend.”
Aldredge believes in the power of students helping students:
“Having a support system can make a difference a lot of times for people staying in school or not. The professors here are great, but sometimes students don’t connect with the faculty that well. They see the power dynamic. So having peer-to-peer guidance is important. Having another student say, ‘It’s ok to advocate for yourself,’ and to be an outlet to talk about what you’re feeling means so much.”
Aldredge says constant communication is key to building student community. She and other Peer Guides send check-in messages and informational mails to first-year students. The CVPA advising team does too, sending a weekly e-Newsletter, “Weekly Happenings Around CVPA,” which highlights events and opportunities across the College. Rusboldt recalls:
“Weekly Happenings” started because we heard the representatives on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council desire to know about what was happening in the various areas in our College. It’s about getting the word out about things to do, but it also serves to amplify the student voice. We are happy to advertise student-led events. We also include academic updates and information about upcoming student deadlines.”
The Culture of Care that begins on the first day of class continues until students graduate, says Rusboldt:
“We start out with the first-year students but even though we hand them off after a year, we’ve created relationships that will last throughout a student’s time at UNCG and beyond. This is a team effort, and making sure we support our students is our passion.”
Story by Terri W Relos
Photo credit: Abigail Hart