About Us

Who is SSAS?

Student Support & Advising Services (SSAS) staff are committed to collaborating with students to enhance their success. Operating under the belief that students are responsible for their own education, SSAS partners with students to share knowledge about and foster connections to resources so students can develop skills and make informed decisions about their educational journey. SSAS also partners with faculty and staff to support overall student achievement both within the College of Engineering & Applied Science and across campus.

Mission, Guiding Principles, and Student Outcomes

Mission

The mission of SSAS is to build collaborative, student-centered relationships that support achievement of personal development, sense of belonging, and academic success for all College of Engineering & Applied Science students. By keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion in the forefront, SSAS staff are dedicated to developing and nurturing a community that encourages all students to reach their full potential. 

They support the College’s Strategic Vision's "Education" pillar in the following ways: 

  • Contributing to higher persistence and graduation rates by sharing tools with students to help them set educational pathways, track progress, and adjust to change 
  • Engaging students with relevant support services to increase their academic and personal success 
  • Supporting successful academic interventions by collaborating with faculty and other partners on campus  
  • Supporting a culture of ethics and resiliency 
  • Encouraging student engagement through extracurricular enrichment  
  • Preparing students for the global workplace by promoting study abroad opportunities, global engineering seminars, global internships, international service experiences, and other opportunities 
  • Sharing information about opportunities related to business acumen, entrepreneurial experiences, communication skills, and leadership development

Collaboration & Support

Academic advisors and coaches participate in collaborative relationships with students throughout their academic career. This creates an understanding of where students are in their journey, while helping them make effective decisions and learn about themselves and the world around them. This process works best when both students and staff are respectfully and actively involved in the relationship. 

Advisors and coaches help students recognize the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they are gaining through their college experience and support students’ development of critical thinking and interpersonal skills, while helping link these skills with students’ future goals. 

In partnership with faculty and staff in programs and departments, advisors and coaches help students navigate the university structure and its resources in ways that benefit them and help students reach their goals. 

Learning & Growth

Advisors and coaches support students in their academic progress toward degree completion by helping them understand their degree requirements and University and College policies and procedures. They also help students discover and use resources so they can connect their learning experience to themselves and the world around them through self-reflection. 

Exploration & Curiosity

Advisors and coaches help students reflect on their educational experiences and support them in identifying their plans and professional goals. Through intentional practices, advisors and coaches challenge and support students by creating an open, respectful, and supportive environment where students can explore their experiences, feelings, values, aptitudes, and aspirations. 

Inclusive Excellence

Advisors and coaches are committed to inclusive excellence. They actively contribute to an equitable College culture and climate for the College’s diverse student community. With a foundational appreciation that students bring their own unique lived experiences and intersectional identities, advisors and coaches partner with students to build advising and coaching relationships where students feel valued and supported in the College. 

ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ & the CEAS Experience

Advisors and coaches contribute to the creation and maintenance of a supportive student success team environment. They encourage student participation in experiential learning, while working with and learning from people of different backgrounds. 

As a result of academic advising, students will: 

  1. Engage in long-term planning and goal-setting. 
  2. Increase their sense of belonging within the institution. 
  3. Take ownership of their degree planning process by: 
    • Understanding the requirements of their degree program.  
    • Understanding what tools and resources are available to them and how to best use them. 
    • Creating, maintaining, and following through on their academic plan. 
    • Advocating for themselves. 
  4. Understand how the concept of self-efficacy is correlated to success in the academic environment. 
  5. Make informed decisions about their education. 
  6. Understand the impact of College and University policies on their education. 
  7. Enhance their collegiate experience by actively exploring learning opportunities.
  8. Increase their understanding of self within the social context of the global community.Â