New and returning Pamplin undergraduates will have expanded academic and career advising services this fall from the college.

Pamplin has made a significant investment in undergraduate education with the hiring of six additional academic advisors and two additional career services staff members in recent months, said Candi Clemenz, Pamplin’s associate dean for undergraduate programs.

The college also has expanded and remodeled space for its undergraduate programs office in Pamplin Hall.

“Undergraduate academic advising is now centralized within our undergraduate programs office, and 12 full-time, professional academic advisors will be available in August to begin working with Pamplin students,” Clemenz said.

Maximizing the experience

Each Pamplin student will be assigned an academic advisor for his or her entire time in the college. “Research and experience tells us that students benefit from establishing a relationship and working with one academic advisor who understands their goals and aspirations,” she said.

“Academic advising isn’t just about course selection, it’s about helping students maximize their experience in the college and at Virginia Tech,” Clemenz said.

“As students prepare their four-year Pathways Planners, advisors assist them to incorporate valuable experiential opportunities, such as study abroad, internships, and participation in student organizations.”

Academic advisors, she said, are particularly helpful to students navigating multiple roadmaps to earn two majors, two degrees, or a major and a minor.

Advising director Jennifer Clevenger said the student and advisor share responsibility for developing a partnership that promotes productive academic and career decisions by the student. “We encourage our students to contact their advisors, either in person or via email, at least twice each semester.”

Stuart Mease, Pamplin’s executive director for student advancement and career services, said the expansion in career services staff to a total of five members will help the college boost its enrollment, expand diversity recruiting and programming, improve transition and mentoring programs, provide career assistance to students, and enhance relationships with corporate recruiters.

The college already has the best placement record on campus, Mease said, with six business majors among the top 12 majors interviewed by employers recruiting on campus every year.

“The additional staff will allow us to take our services to students and employers to the next level.”