Let’s Chat With Tara Fischer '02, Dean and Director of Academic Advising
Tara Fischer
At Dickinson, we recognize that strong academic advising is a key component of the student experience. We help students begin to understand themselves and to identify how their values, priorities, skills and even personality might impact the choices they make at Dickinson and beyond. In conjunction with students’ values, personalities and skills, their academic choices can help our team guide them to future opportunities that represent a good “fit.” This sweet spot—where personality, skills, values and priorities intersect—is what we call identifying a students authentic interests.
In collaboration with the Advising, Internships & Career Center, our team of faculty advisors provide the opportunity for deep, meaningful connections with students. This process begins during the new student advising experience, which takes place the summer before (or winter before) students begin at Dickinson. After a student arrive on campus, undeclared students work closely with their First-Year Seminar professor, who will serve as their academic advisor until they declare a major (which just needs to be done by the end of their sophomore year). After declaring their major students will work with an advisor within their chosen department. Advisors reach out to students a couple of weeks prior to course request (pro tip: course request is Oct. 31-Nov. 2 this semester!) to connect with students about their emerging intellectual interests, and students who are first-years or sophomores will receive an alternate PIN, which is used for course request. Juniors and seniors do not need an alternate PIN, although meeting with their advisor is still very important as they begin to deepen their focus academically.
If you believe your student could benefit from a conversation with their advisor, please encourage them to talk openly with their advisor about questions, concerns, hopes and aspirations. If you believe they could benefit from an additional relationship with either staff or peer advisors in the Advising, Internships & Career Center, please encourage them to stop by Biddle House (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday) or email advising@dickinson.edu. Working with students as they navigate the process of identifying what they want to learn—and why—is what it’s all about for us.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published October 1, 2022