Advising
Advising has proven very difficult in the SORT program, as the curriculum required significant immediate changes upon my arrival, to update the curriculum and streamline graduation requirements. This has resulted in the addition of many new courses, renaming of others, and the navigation of multiple iterations of our program clear path at once. As the program coordinator, I was responsible for two major curricular revisions, as well as the development of a new clear path & curriculum map, new program outcomes, advisory board members, and new courses. Dr. Hungenberg has been a valuable resource in this process, and the addition of a tourism faculty line has added rigor and substance to the program.
Currently, Dr, Hungenberg and I split 180+ advisees, with one of us listed as primary and the other as a secondary advisor. Individual advising sessions for each student quickly proved unsustainable, so we have shifted to a group advising+ model. Dr. Joo has begun to lead group advising sessions, as well, which further lightens the load. We each offer 2-3 group sessions each semester, either in person or over zoom. In addition, we provide a thorough resource through our SORT management Canvas page (screenshots in attachments), with links to the program curriculum, clear path, advising powerpoint, field experience and internship resources, and frequent announcements regarding job opportunities and special circumstances. If students can not find the information needed on the Canvas page or through group advising, we also schedule individual advising appointments for additional support. I would honestly enjoy more time with students to discuss career and life issues and less time spent on choosing classes, but this is our current reality. Despite being spread thin, students have responded positively to my effort to provide support, as shown in the unsolicited emails below. I save these emails to remind me of why I should continue to work hard for the students, and prize these unsolicited messages of encouragement more than anything I would request from them. These emails, combined with positive course evaluations, paint a picture of my impact.
In addition to curricular changes and program advisement, I contribute to career and continuing education decisions through life coaching, including students in research (see "presentations and publications"), as well as drafting many job and graduate school references each year. I average 15+ recommendations a year, sometimes writing a dozen for a single student. I also consider it vital to support my co-faculty and help publicly acknowledge their achievements (see Letter for Dr. H below). A few student references are included below, as documentation.
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