All new students at Carthage are matched with a Student Success Advisor before their first semester begins. This occurs during a student’s initial course registration process. Students continue to work with their Student Success Advisors through graduation.
Student Success Advisors are full-time advising and student success professionals who will facilitate your successful entry and transition to Carthage, serve as cultural navigators as you move toward your degree, and support you in overcoming obstacles and meeting your goals.
Student Success Advisors assist with …
Your transition to college
As you prepare to leave for college and begin establishing Carthage as your new home away from home, your student success advisor will be one of your key contacts on campus. Becoming a college student is a rite of passage, and many new students move through three stages during this time: Separation, Transition, and Incorporation (Tinto, 1988). Your advisor will be there for you every step of the way.
For some students, enrolling in college and starting a new journey can be both exhilarating and nerve-racking. For students living on campus, homesickness can quickly set in. For commuters, stepping away from friends and family back home to form new relationships on campus can feel uncomfortable. For any new student, navigating the complex world of higher education can be daunting initially.
During this stage, students are torn between their old environment and their new one. Students may go home for a break and realize that both they and their friends have changed. Family or friends who have not experienced a college setting may not understand the demands of academic life. Students may not feel like they belong in their old settings, but have yet to find their place in the new one. With a little luck (and self-reflection), this won’t last long.
Finally, students develop strong ties with the social and academic communities within the institution. They engage with faculty and develop close ties with other students, spending more time on campus. They feel and act like true Carthaginians. While students may move backward and forward through these stages at different points in their first year, they are unlikely to digress from Incorporation to the previous stages for very long.
As you move through these phases and adjust to life on campus, you can expect assistance with the following from your student success advisor:
Learning about Carthage degree requirements and areas of study
Establishing college-level time management and study strategies
Becoming self-sufficient with tools such as Workday and Schoology
Understanding the degree planning process and building an initial academic plan
Reflecting on potential experiential learning opportunities and career pathways
Building confidence and self-advocacy skills
Connecting with academic, financial, and personal resources across campus
Overcoming early obstacles in achieving your degree
Your Four-Year Journey
Carthage has a holistic advising model, which means you’ll have a team of advisors to assist you during your college experience.
Your Student Success Advisor will continue to provide support as you make strides toward earning your degree.Seek guidance from them on any of the following issues:
Setting goals for the upcoming term in response to a probationary academic status
Reviewing time management strategies, technological tools, and campus resources available to you
Weighing important academic decisions such as withdrawing from a course or changing your area of study
Resolving holds on your account which are preventing you from registering
Overcoming feelings of imposter syndrome or isolation that can derail your progress toward your degree
Understanding and navigating academic policies and procedures such as petitions
Assisting with course registration and degree planning as needed when faculty are not in session
Discussing other academic, financial, and/or personal challenges that arise throughout each term
Most students will need support in one of these areas during their college career. Seek help early and often to achieve your fullest academic potential.
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