With only one year left in her Bachelor of Science in Health Studies, Phoebe Nadeau has already left an impact on the students she advises. Nadeau mainly advises freshmen in a pre-medical pathway regardless of their major for their required advising, but her schedule is open to anyone doing pre-med course work regardless of their major. The pre-medical pathway helps students make connections with their advisors and other students on similar career pathways, and provides information about events and other resources for successful medical school applications.
A typical day includes preparing for each meeting by learning about each individual student and what they’re seeking, writing notes and course plans after their appointments, as well as assisting the other professional staff and peer advisors. Nadeau is also a part of the team starting a pre-health club, where students in pre-med, pre-dental, pre-physician assistant and pre-physical therapy can get help applying for entrance exams, and for job shadowing or leadership roles.
Nadeau joined the advising team by asking about job openings during an appointment with her kinesiology advisor Tina Freeman. She was interested in learning more about what goes into advising and giving students knowledge about the college and jobs after graduation, and after submitting an application through Handshake, Nadeau became an advisor in fall 2021. She feels that she can relate to students much more since she’s recently been through what they’re seeking advising for, and that also makes the students more comfortable in the appointment.
Since then, Nadeau has tried her best to be accessible and open for each student and their needs – she reaches out to students through email with a link to her booking calendar when she has openings available, including Zoom and in-person options, and walk-in times available for both. However, during the required advising season for incoming freshman and transfer students when there’s so many students, it’s hard to get to know each student personally as the appointment goes by so quickly. She wishes there was more time to talk with and learn about everyone.
“Every student’s different, and every student’s kinda the same,” Nadeau said. “They’re all on their own journey but they’re all taking the same classes together.”
With so many different pathways and degree options, Nadeau encounters a lot of students wishing to change degrees within the college. When this happens, she tries to understand why they want to change and how they can work around it if possible, since she doesn’t want small setbacks to keep students from doing what they’ve always wanted to pursue as a career. Nadeau will encourage them to keep trying after a bad test grade or difficult class, but also supports what the student wants to do.
Donations from Bronco Giving Day will help best with hiring more advisors to help students and create a personal connection with them. Nadeau believes that making that relationship and letting students know they’re not alone as they go further into their major is key to being a successful advisor, and having a larger team would ensure that for each and every student.