How the University of Michigan Provides Academic and Career Advice
The hidden gems of UofM
—By Claire Schneider
One of the main draws of The University of Michigan is the amazing connections and opportunities students can utilize. The resources the University offers for advancing one’s academic skills and professional career development focus solely on each individual student’s success. While students know these assets are available, sometimes it is unclear what they can get help on and how, leading these resources to be underutilized. From guidance on classes and curriculum to professional advice on furthering students’ preparedness for post graduation jobs and encounters, The University of Michigan offers multiple fantastic resources students can choose from.
The most popular resources students gravitate towards when it comes to academic and professional career success are the Newnan Advising Center, the Career Center, and the Opportunity Hub.
The Newnan Advising Center
Open to every LSA student enrolled at Michigan, the Newnan Center is one of the most accessible and relevant resources whether you are an incoming freshman or a graduating senior.
The Newnan Center has a plethora of advisors that students can meet with regarding any questions about scheduling, credit requirements, or grading. Aside from the advisor assigned to each student at the beginning of their college journey, students can choose to meet with them or a different advisor who specializes in a path they are interested in for more personal questions.
General Academic Advisor Erin Keller talks about what her job is primarily made up of, “[We provide] one on one advising services for LSA students. These include assistance with schedule creation, discussions of career and overall academic planning, providing supportive and encouraging conversation, etc.” The goal of every advisor, she says, is to tailor their advice to what the student needs at that moment.
Sophomore here at the University of Michigan Estee Moss recommends the Newnan center to every LSA student. “I already know my major so I have found them very helpful in sorting out classes.” She continues, “I remember being a confused freshman about what I needed to take and do, they gave me peace of mind.”.
The Newnan Center can also be used as a tool to help connect students to other resources that might further benefit their academic career. Keller states, “I would also consider advisors to be ‘resource connectors’, helping students connect with other campus entities for support. We help students who want to cross campus transfer into and out of LSA, discussing transfer courses, provide documents for necessary paperwork all over campus, and describe details of degrees.” While the Newnan Center is limited in the fact that their focus is academic support, the advisors are there to help with whatever a student needs, even if that means referring them elsewhere.
Furthermore, not only does the Newnan Center provide curated advice for students concerning their personal education needs, it’s also helpful for one’s professional journey. Keller speaks to the fact that the advisor’s goals are to see students through from orientation to their after graduation goals. “We provide holistic advising services, attending to the whole student, not just their academic self. Through academic planning we can support professional development, in determining a major, looking for courses that will best support skill development and interest exploration, as well as working to get the most out of this liberal arts degree.”
The dissertation An Exploration of the Career Development Process for Liberal Arts Students by Jessica Parker thoroughly explains the benefit of consulting with an advisor before making long-term decisions. “Interactions with professors and academic advisors also provided opportunities for participants to learn new insights about their career interests.” She gives an example of a student who thought they were on the right career path, but after speaking with an advisor, recognized that they did not have a passion for what they were planning to go into and reevaluated what would be a fulfilling career choice.
While every LSA student knows about the Newnan Center, their knowledge might now be beyond the fact that your advisor is someone assigned to you. Not only can students gain great academic advice, they can also receive guidance towards the right steps to take in one’s post college career.
The Career Center
The Career Center is similar to the Newnan center; they both want to see students succeed. However, the Career Center has a focus on student’s professional career development. Their goal is to help students find internships or potential jobs as they navigate their academic journey. The advisors there exclusively work with you on your future in the workforce.
Recent alumni Cate Biegun used the Career Center throughout her time at Michigan. She went into each appointment with the advisors in the Career Center already knowing her major and field she wanted to work in. One of the most beneficial tools the Career Center provided was a weekly newsletter. “I got put on a weekly newsletter where they [tell you] university events that are happening in your area of interest, and job postings, and internships you can get.”
Another more unexpected benefit of the Career Center Biegun mentions is the peace of mind the advisors offer. “There’s a lot of pressure about the future that’s in your head a little bit, and going to the advising appointments I always came out lighter. [I] was reassured that I was doing the right things.” Biegun also mentions an additional resource that was introduced to her through the Career Center: Handshake. “It’s similar to [indeed.com] but it’s students and recent graduates.” With Handshake, students can create a profile that highlights their interests and desired career paths. The employers on Handshake can see your classes, extracurriculars, and know the skills you have. They are exclusively looking to hire students for jobs or internships. The Career Center here at UofM is partnered with Handshake in order to simplify the application and recruitment process.
In addition to Handshake, there are other lesser-known aspects of the Career Center. Chelsea Moore, a career coach, notes that students don’t always recognize tools they can use by themselves. “In addition to our website, there are tools that students can use on-demand like VMOCK [instant resume feedback] and BigInterview [to practice interviewing].” The resources that Career Center provides can be accessed at any time, letting students improve their resume, develop their interview skills, or decide what path to follow on their own time.
Furthermore, it also provides a resource called Clothes Closet that provides students with gently used business casual and professional attire. UofM sophomore Emelia Johnston finds this to be often overlooked yet one of the most important tools they offer. “It’s so accessible for those who can’t afford a whole new business wardrobe, and I really do think that looking and feeling my best makes a difference in my interviews.” She also mentions how easy it is to make an appointment through Handshake to browse their items.
When it comes to developing skills students will need for their future in the professional workforce, practice with interviews, networking and more is key. In Natalie Boutwell’s research about Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts (IAC) – IAC career educators help liberal arts students – she stresses how vital it is to be prepared. “[Students] are not going to find a job just by going to class and…cold applying. You’re going to have to do informational interviews with people, you’re going to have to go to networking events and meet recruiters, you’re going to have to do the work outside of the classroom.” The Career center is a one stop shop for being introduced to how to successfully enter the workforce.
The Opportunity Hub
At the Opportunity Hub, another resource that focuses on students’ post-college careers, students can find and apply for internships intended exclusively for LSA students as well as speak with employers. The Hub also hosts fairs and workshops to develop connections in addition to the career mentorships they offer.
Aside from helping students perfect their resume and interview skills or the workshops and events they host to connect with people from different professions and grad schools, the main draw to the Opportunity Hub is their focus on providing students with access to potential internships. The Opportunity Hub provides internships specifically intended for LSA students through a program called LSA Engage. Students can browse in-person or online internships from employers who are searching for workers with an LSA based background.
In addition to providing access to exclusive internships around the U.S, they also work to contribute funding for internships to make them more accessible. The Michigan Daily’s article, Diverse Issues in Higher Education states “The internships run for a minimum of six weeks between May and August and students are eligible for up to $5,000 in funding.” Not only can students access exclusive internships but they can receive financial backing to fulfill these opportunities and advance their resume.
There is uncertainty when it comes to entering the workforce, but experience, such as the internships and opportunities the Hub offers, is a surefire way to make the process easier. In Corey Pech’s dissertation, MarketAbility: Inequality in the College-To-Work Transition, that ambiguity can be reduced simply by experience. Pech tells the story of two college students. One, Chloe, who “was very career-oriented and ambitious, having completed three different internships in her time at [University],” and another who “was less organized in his career ambition.” Neither decided to continue full time with the companies they interned for; however, both were grateful for the insight they gained from their involvement in a professional environment.
A crucial part of entering the workforce is a network. Often, that is how someone gets a job in the field they’re interested in; they create relationships with other people who work in that area. However creating a network can be intimidating and overwhelming. One key thing that The Hub helps students with is creating a network of Michigan alums. Their website makes clear the importance of networking, “Forming meaningful relationships with a mentor can help you accomplish the bigger things like developing and pursuing individualized goals, fostering your interests, building social capital, and broadening your network.” Students can meet with Hub coaches who provide insight on how to create meaningful, lasting connections. Students can also sign up for small casual group meetings with alumni as a chance to ask questions. Moreover, the Opportunity Hub also has set up a web network called LSA Connect to talk with graduates in one’s desired field about what steps they took to get to where they are. Formal or informal, students can have meaningful career conversations with alumni.
Within these resources there are other beneficial opportunities LSA students at the University of Michigan can take advantage of. What makes these resources even more accessible is their in person and online presence allowing those who need help virtually to get a tailored experience. While many hear the names, unfortunately not everyone knows exactly what the different academic and professional career resources have to offer. It’s worth it to take the risk and discover what one can gain from a few meetings at any of these profitable centers.
Feature photo, the Big House; photo credit, Alex Mertz via Unsplash