Student Advising

MDP ACADEMIC ADVISOR | Joel Mixon (mixon005@umn.edu )

The Academic Advisor works with student recruitment and prospective student advising during the admissions process and in the months prior to matriculation. The academic advisor serves as first advising contact to explore student interests, first-semester registration, & faculty advising recommendations, in collaboration with the faculty advisor. The AA also assists in designing a plan to complete the program, including selection of concentrations and courses and reviews Program Planning Worksheets, Graduate Degree Plans, requests for exceptions, and petitions and monitors student progress throughout the program. The AA provides advice on academic policies, processes, and procedures and helps to connect students with specific faculty, based on academic, paper, internship, and/or career interests. Finally, but of equal importance, the AA provides support and resources when students encounter academic or personal difficulties that are affecting degree progress

LINK to the Humphrey School's Student Services Staff page

FACULTY ADVISOR

Faculty advisors support students in shaping academic and professional development objectives and strategies including advice, counsel, and guidance regarding concentration and elective course selection, internships, professional connections, and career options. They also serve as signatories on required degree documentation, such as the course plan. The MDP Program Committee assigns incoming students with faculty advisors or co-advisors in the month of August, typically in the week or two before orientation. Advisors are almost always MDP Program Committee members and, when applicable, co-advisors may be other core MDP faculty. The committee strives to find the best match between the student and faculty interests based on available information. Incoming students should plan to meet with the faculty advisor in the first two weeks of the semester.

CAREER SERVICES

The Humphrey School's Office of Career and Professional Development helps students and alumni find meaningful work. Whether you want to launch a career in Washington, D.C., Minnesota, or elsewhere around the country or the world, career services matches your passion and areas of study with a variety of employers, including government agencies, nonprofits, and businesses. Available resources include individual consultations, workshops, resources, and more. Career resources include:

• Domestic and global mentor programs
• Annual career exploration trips to Washington, DC, and Chicago
• Internships
• Individualized counseling

LINK to the Humphrey School's Office of Career and Professional Development page