Research Proposal
Introduction
Advising at Marquette was nothing that I expected it to be. I came to this private, Jesuit college expecting individualized meetings and career planning. I needed help in deciding a major and creating a plan for my future.
When actual advising week came, I was greeted by a classroom of nearly 40 students. Freshmen were split into group advising by major. I woke up early and walked in the rain to sit through a power point presentation on registering for classes. I knew the technical aspects of registration – how to use Checkmarq, how to plan classes – but I couldn’t answer the big questions. What did I want to do with my life? How can I use my talents for good? What is my vocation? These were the discussions I searched for. I wanted someone to listen.
At 18, how was I supposed to decide my future? I was a high school senior when I clicked that major. One click of a mouse put me into this mess. It wasn’t that I hated journalism, I just craved more. I wanted to know my options and receive individualized advice. College was supposed to be a time to explore my options and reflect on what I wanted to do.
Because the advising system and let me down and created stress in my life, I felt that Marquette as a whole did not care about me. I sought help anywhere I could, and I received nothing. My advisors dismissed and deserted me. I was a freshman drowning in a sea of possibilities. I felt like a number, not a student. I thought Marquette would provide me with a support system. I had envisioned myself at college studying what I liked and choosing a major later. When I got to campus it seemed everyone was pushing me to know what I wanted now and build a resume for a job.
I saw a great divide and disconnect between what Marquette preaches as a Jesuit university and what advising does. My experiences with admissions, mass and Campus Ministry encouraged me to take risks and find what I was meant to do. Advising showed me that I needed to know my major now in order to graduate.
I’m more concerned with my success in life. I want to be happy, and I want to serve others the best way I can. The Jesuits advocate working for the common good, and finding your place in the world. I can’t find my way to help because I do not know my talents. I want counseling and clear advice on what path I should take in college.
Research Question
How does the College of Communication’s advising work with Career Services to aid students in picking majors, career paths and post-graduate plans?
Sub-questions
Are students satisfied with their experience in advising? Why or why not?
What can be changed (if anything) to improve student experiences in advising and career services?
Key Words
advising
Career Services
post-graduation plans
majors
careers
career path
College of Communication
choosing a major
undergraduate advising
Audience
My research is aimed at students in the College of Communication and faculty and administrators that oversee advising. Each person I interviewed represents a group involved in the advising and career exploration process. I examined both parties present at advising meetings, a student and advisor. Dean Wolburg also gave me a look into the administration of advising as she is both a dean and faculty advisor. Kristin Adler represented the many resources available through Career Services that compliment the academic advising components available through the college. My research is only a small look into advising, but the Diederich College of Communication’s advising survey’s data, which should be available near the end of the academic year, will give a more complete look into the program’s strengths and shortcomings, highlighting areas of improvement.
Methods
My ethnography centers on a mixed-method qualitative study to examine the process of advising and the resources Marquette offers to students. My research began with an interview of a sophomore student in the College of Communication. I then drew on interviews with Joyce Wolburg, associate dean in the College of Communication; Kristin Adler, assistant director of the Career Services Center; and observational field notes from a Reverse Career Fair, a mock interview with career services, and an advising session from the Spring 2012 semester. I also examined scholarly literature on the topics of advising, career counseling, and undecided majors and Marquette’s on website’s text on exploration and advising services. I first contemplated my own experience with advising in a narrative inquiry and then approached the topic for a research study.
At the Reverse Career Fair in February, I estimated about 150 students attended with about 40 student organizations. About 30 employers stopped at my sorority’s booth to talk. Seven sorority members attended the career fair. There are 92 women in the organization total. Of the employers that stopped to talk, two had opportunities in the educational field, which I am hoping to enter. I went on two interviews after making connections at the career fair and learned of a service opportunity for my organization.
My mock interview at Career Services lasted about half an hour total. I used this appointment to prepare for an upcoming interview. The questions asked at the mock interview were similar, if not the same, to what I was asked at the interview. I also had my resume critiqued and was given feedback on interview topics. The career services counselor advised me to ask multiple follow-up questions about the place of employment. She said employers want to know you did research on them and are interested in the position. In short, everyone wants to talk about themselves. My feedback from the mock interview can be seen in Appendix-A.
My spring advising session lasted roughly ten minutes. My advisor asked how I was doing in school and asked my GPA. When I said I had a 3.8, he responded jokingly, “And you’re coming to me with advice?” He then could not find my advising form stating my requirements and what classes I have already taken. He told me if I had any scheduling questions to ask him, but I should be fine. My advisor did ask about my name, family, and career goals to get to know me. He also said I should consider study abroad and wished me luck on my internship search.
My interviews were semi-scripted, and I asked follow-up questions for clarity as needed. A sample interview script (Appendix-B) shows typical questions pertaining to the topic as it applied to my interviewee.
Contribution
This project will address any shortcomings in the advising process and how it relates to the Career Services. It will illustrate any discrepancies between these two departments and focus on students’ needs as it relates to university resources.Communication and collaboration between advising and career services can be improved so that students are more aware of their options in career and major exploration. In the short term, advisors can be given training on what resources the university has to offer students. They can also have fliers of career services events available to all students they meet with.
In the long term, all university advising can occupy the same building as career services and work together to create graduation plans. The university could also hire professional advisors for all colleges and eliminate freshmen group advising. This new advising model would incorporate aptitude testing, career services, and advising into one united program and give all students access to professional and individualized advising. This advising model could be applied to other colleges and universities. The College of Communication should continue the use of advising feedback surveys but make them more accessible. The college could send out these surveys electronically and give students time in class to give feedback to ensure a significant response. By continuing to evaluate advising the college can track trends in weaknesses and strengths and adjust the system accordingly.
Advising at Marquette was nothing that I expected it to be. I came to this private, Jesuit college expecting individualized meetings and career planning. I needed help in deciding a major and creating a plan for my future.
When actual advising week came, I was greeted by a classroom of nearly 40 students. Freshmen were split into group advising by major. I woke up early and walked in the rain to sit through a power point presentation on registering for classes. I knew the technical aspects of registration – how to use Checkmarq, how to plan classes – but I couldn’t answer the big questions. What did I want to do with my life? How can I use my talents for good? What is my vocation? These were the discussions I searched for. I wanted someone to listen.
At 18, how was I supposed to decide my future? I was a high school senior when I clicked that major. One click of a mouse put me into this mess. It wasn’t that I hated journalism, I just craved more. I wanted to know my options and receive individualized advice. College was supposed to be a time to explore my options and reflect on what I wanted to do.
Because the advising system and let me down and created stress in my life, I felt that Marquette as a whole did not care about me. I sought help anywhere I could, and I received nothing. My advisors dismissed and deserted me. I was a freshman drowning in a sea of possibilities. I felt like a number, not a student. I thought Marquette would provide me with a support system. I had envisioned myself at college studying what I liked and choosing a major later. When I got to campus it seemed everyone was pushing me to know what I wanted now and build a resume for a job.
I saw a great divide and disconnect between what Marquette preaches as a Jesuit university and what advising does. My experiences with admissions, mass and Campus Ministry encouraged me to take risks and find what I was meant to do. Advising showed me that I needed to know my major now in order to graduate.
I’m more concerned with my success in life. I want to be happy, and I want to serve others the best way I can. The Jesuits advocate working for the common good, and finding your place in the world. I can’t find my way to help because I do not know my talents. I want counseling and clear advice on what path I should take in college.
Research Question
How does the College of Communication’s advising work with Career Services to aid students in picking majors, career paths and post-graduate plans?
Sub-questions
Are students satisfied with their experience in advising? Why or why not?
What can be changed (if anything) to improve student experiences in advising and career services?
Key Words
advising
Career Services
post-graduation plans
majors
careers
career path
College of Communication
choosing a major
undergraduate advising
Audience
My research is aimed at students in the College of Communication and faculty and administrators that oversee advising. Each person I interviewed represents a group involved in the advising and career exploration process. I examined both parties present at advising meetings, a student and advisor. Dean Wolburg also gave me a look into the administration of advising as she is both a dean and faculty advisor. Kristin Adler represented the many resources available through Career Services that compliment the academic advising components available through the college. My research is only a small look into advising, but the Diederich College of Communication’s advising survey’s data, which should be available near the end of the academic year, will give a more complete look into the program’s strengths and shortcomings, highlighting areas of improvement.
Methods
My ethnography centers on a mixed-method qualitative study to examine the process of advising and the resources Marquette offers to students. My research began with an interview of a sophomore student in the College of Communication. I then drew on interviews with Joyce Wolburg, associate dean in the College of Communication; Kristin Adler, assistant director of the Career Services Center; and observational field notes from a Reverse Career Fair, a mock interview with career services, and an advising session from the Spring 2012 semester. I also examined scholarly literature on the topics of advising, career counseling, and undecided majors and Marquette’s on website’s text on exploration and advising services. I first contemplated my own experience with advising in a narrative inquiry and then approached the topic for a research study.
At the Reverse Career Fair in February, I estimated about 150 students attended with about 40 student organizations. About 30 employers stopped at my sorority’s booth to talk. Seven sorority members attended the career fair. There are 92 women in the organization total. Of the employers that stopped to talk, two had opportunities in the educational field, which I am hoping to enter. I went on two interviews after making connections at the career fair and learned of a service opportunity for my organization.
My mock interview at Career Services lasted about half an hour total. I used this appointment to prepare for an upcoming interview. The questions asked at the mock interview were similar, if not the same, to what I was asked at the interview. I also had my resume critiqued and was given feedback on interview topics. The career services counselor advised me to ask multiple follow-up questions about the place of employment. She said employers want to know you did research on them and are interested in the position. In short, everyone wants to talk about themselves. My feedback from the mock interview can be seen in Appendix-A.
My spring advising session lasted roughly ten minutes. My advisor asked how I was doing in school and asked my GPA. When I said I had a 3.8, he responded jokingly, “And you’re coming to me with advice?” He then could not find my advising form stating my requirements and what classes I have already taken. He told me if I had any scheduling questions to ask him, but I should be fine. My advisor did ask about my name, family, and career goals to get to know me. He also said I should consider study abroad and wished me luck on my internship search.
My interviews were semi-scripted, and I asked follow-up questions for clarity as needed. A sample interview script (Appendix-B) shows typical questions pertaining to the topic as it applied to my interviewee.
Contribution
This project will address any shortcomings in the advising process and how it relates to the Career Services. It will illustrate any discrepancies between these two departments and focus on students’ needs as it relates to university resources.Communication and collaboration between advising and career services can be improved so that students are more aware of their options in career and major exploration. In the short term, advisors can be given training on what resources the university has to offer students. They can also have fliers of career services events available to all students they meet with.
In the long term, all university advising can occupy the same building as career services and work together to create graduation plans. The university could also hire professional advisors for all colleges and eliminate freshmen group advising. This new advising model would incorporate aptitude testing, career services, and advising into one united program and give all students access to professional and individualized advising. This advising model could be applied to other colleges and universities. The College of Communication should continue the use of advising feedback surveys but make them more accessible. The college could send out these surveys electronically and give students time in class to give feedback to ensure a significant response. By continuing to evaluate advising the college can track trends in weaknesses and strengths and adjust the system accordingly.