I generally get asked the question, “What is it that you exactly do?” At my presentation this afternoon, I had a student ask me that exact question. So, for those of you who are curious, I thought I would fill you in on what we do as Student Success Advisors at ICAN. I believe we have an important and unique role.
As I am sitting here typing this blog post and reflecting on my job, I can’t help but feel so blessed to be in a career that I love. My career did not happen overnight. It was through much trial and error that I discovered my passion. I am writing to you from a quaint and comfortable little restaurant called Potters Mill in Bellevue, Iowa. Bellevue is a small, friendly Iowa town. It is one of my favorite places to travel to!
As a Student Success Advisor, my top priority is not to find the best local food finds (although, that is a perk!) J I am in my role to help educate students on all college and career options that are available to them. There are so many great opportunities for students- some in which require 4-year degrees, and other options that only require a short amount of training time. I believe each student is uniquely different. For that being said, there is something out there for everyone. I am deeply passionate about helping students find what makes them tick. One of the ways we help students figure this out is by scheduling one-on-one advising sessions where we can help with college and career planning. We often start by taking the ACT Profile which links students to different careers and majors that individually fit their interest, abilities and values. From there, we talk about all of the options available to them.
The other big part of my job is helping students and families file the FAFSA form. This really helps get the entire financial aid process started for college. I travel to schools across the state of Iowa to help educate parents and students on College & Career Planning and Financial Aid. It is not only fun getting to meet all kinds of people, but I love knowing that I am helping so many students and families across the state of Iowa!
Meghan - ICAN Hiawatha Center
