Robeson Community College celebrates National Advising Day
Tuesday, October 4 is National Advising Day, and Robeson Community College did not want to let this opportunity go by without celebrating the success of advisors, and the success that advising can bring.
“National Advising day is a day to recognize advisors for the critical role they play in assisting students,” stated Vonda Graham, the director of academic success at RCC. “Our advisors help students chart an academic plan, find resources, and get students to look at goals – short and long term – and push them towards job placement.”
Advisors don’t just help with registration efforts, but also serve as an asset in engaging students throughout their time at Robeson Community College.
“The advisors are building that rapport with students and following them throughout their academic career from beginning to end and they make sure everything is on target,” Graham said. “They are with the student from registration to graduation.”
This day is especially symbolic this year because it’s the first year that Robeson Community College has had an academic advising center in operation. In the past, advising was done by faculty members.
“These positions are new, and they soley advise… It is an honor to be able to recognize this day because it also recognizes all the hard work our advisors have been doing since they were all hired in January,” Graham said. “We are excited to have an academic advising center to actually give students the one-on-one attention they need and to be available as the need arises.”
Graham says that the hiring of advisors shows how the college is moving forward towards reaching goals in student recruitment and student retention efforts.
“This is a wonderful step in the right direction,” Graham said. “Our advisors are available throughout the day. They are constantly in contact with the students in following them for the duration of their program of study, making contact with them through email, phone calls, and visiting them in classrooms.”
In celebration of the day, students were invited to join advisors for some fun activities in the student center. It is estimated that more than 50 students stopped by to enjoy the day with success coaches.
“Today, we engaged our students through games, some of the which included Financial Aid Jinga, Registration Bingo, Futuristic Vision Board where students made long and short-term goals, Beachball Toss to connect resources, and a Web of Yarn to tie it all together to student services.”
Graham says there is a special luncheon planned for Thursday for advisors, saying, “It’s nice to be able to show our advisor just how much they are appreciated.”
