Guided Discovery
Faculty & Staff Monthly Newsletter | May 2020
Career Resources For COVID-19: Second Edition Coming Soon!
Guided Discovery in the News
We were recently featured in a Spectrum News piece regarding the outlook on internships for students and employers this summer, and what colleges and departments like ours are doing to help students during this crisis.
Guilford Orientation (GO) Update
Incoming first-year students who have deposited for the Fall 2020 semester have now been enrolled in a Pre-Orientation Canvas course that gives them relevant information and resources prior to Orientation. They are also filling out a course preference survey and will be registered for courses.
Moving forward, Guided Discovery is assisting in planning GO sessions this summer, in collaboration with relevant campus departments. Each GO session will span over four days, with events/presentations spread across that time, and will all be done virtually. Stay tuned for updates regarding GO this summer!
Excellence Brought to Light
Each month, faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to nominate fellow Guilfordians who they feel have gone above and beyond, in or outside of the classroom.
SETH HUTTON: "I’ve seen Seth (a senior!) grow so much over the past couple of years as he’s developed his passion for theater and geology. He’s been an incredibly important and consistent part of the Guilford theater department, often working the sound booth and other important behind-the-scenes work. He just was told he was in the top three for a fellowship at Berkeley, showing that he’s one of the most promising sound design students in the country! In his time at Guilford he’s shown a quiet and growing confidence, and I feel that if anyone deserves recognition for personal & academic growth, it’s Seth."
LIZZY KAPUSCINSKI: "Lizzy has gone above and beyond for their role as Student Body President. They have shown amazing resiliency, have had constant check ins with the student body, and is always available for someone to voice concerns all while balancing their own schoolwork as a graduating senior. These qualities were magnified after the pandemic forced us to move off of campus and communicate offline. Lizzy found new ways to be able to reach the student body and has also advocated for students."
Our Faculty and Staff winners this month are:
Kyle Dell, Associate Academic Dean
Frank Boyd, Provost
Brian Wenger, Assistant Director of Facilities
Scott Crabbs, Advancement Accounting Manager
Nancy Daukas, Professor of Philosophy
Maria Rosales, Associate Professors of Political Science
Terry Schwartz, Visiting Assistant Professor for Sports Studies
Vance Ricks, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Kristen Bethune, Part-time Lecturer for Justice and Policy Studies
The April, 2020 certificates, including the full Celebrations of Faculty and Staff: Excellence Brought to Light nominations, will be sent to the nominated individuals and the text will be shared as a silent announcement at the next Faculty Meeting.
Congratulations to all! You make Guilford proud!
Guided Discovery Student Staff Position for 2020-21: Application coming very soon!
Guided Discovery will be hiring very soon hiring for our 2020/2021 student staff!
We are hiring Integrated Advising Mentors (IAMs) who can leave their mark on the Guilford Community! IAMs will provide great customer service to Guided Discovery guests, assist with the marketing of events, manage Guided Discovery social media, and provide basic academic and career advising to peers. Please let students know about this great opportunity; they will be sent the PeopleAdmin link to apply soon!
April Highlights
Guides' Webinar Attendance
Guides attended some great webinars this past month, many of which discussed handling our work during this crisis. They have shared their reviews and notes below that may be beneficial for you as well!
Katelyn attended the following webinars:
Advising & Counseling Online: Responding Effectively to Academic & Mental Health Issues in COVID-19
- Loss of face-to-face interaction often leads to a breakdown in relationships
- Need to have FAQ information updated regularly and easy to locate
- COVID-19 is considered a traumatic event
- How trauma presents itself most often in students: intrusive thoughts, mood swings, feelings of sadness and anger, impaired comprehension and concentration
- Very important to maintain empathy, which can be difficult virtually
- Pay attention to: how much you are hearing from students, what they look like (is their hygiene slipping?)
- Mental health is clearly linked to retention and academic performance, which means IT'S IMPORTANT!
Indeed: Navigating the Job Search in COVID-19
- Some sectors of the economy are shut down
- So, whos hiring? Grocery, Pharmacy, Discount Chains, Healthcare Manufacturing, Healthcare
- Look for remote work opportunities- on Indeed type in "remote" keyword for what or where in search engine
- Students need to focus on transferable skills, so they may need to update and tailor their resume more in this time
- there has been an increase in scamming- be weary of chat only platforms, confirm employer contact info and don't share sensitive info via email!
- Interviews are moving virtual
Career Planning & Professional Networking in a World of Social Distancing
- Online networks very important right now- update your LinkedIn
- Need for students to practice virtual interview (Guides can help)
- Top things employers are looking for: skills, employability, character, team focus, technology skills and flexibility (ability to adapt to change)
- Who is hiring: IT, Supply Chains, Amazon, Medical and Health fields
ACPA Commission for Career Services
- about 15% of employers are rescinding internship offers
- about 2% are receding full-time offers
Cara attended the "Supporting Students Remotely" webinar, hosted by EAB.
Virtual advising tips during COVID-19 included successfully setting up your meeting; providing holistic support, but also being productive, during the meeting; and following up after the meeting. Prior to the meeting, coordinate with the student how you will meet (via phone or video), provide instructions for the meeting format, and assign pre-work for the student (i.e. coming up with specific questions or filling out forms in advance). During your meeting, start by just checking in with the student to see how they're doing, both personally and academically; check that they have adequate access and resources (including class materials and internet and technology); reassure them that they still have campus resources and support; and encourage the student to do the best they can given the circumstances. After the meeting, follow up with an email summary of what you discussed, including next steps for you and/or the student (i.e. finding out an answer to one of their questions, connecting the student to another support person on campus, the student reaching out to their instructor or another office, etc.); and remind the student that they can call or email you if they have any additional questions.
Guide Spotlight
Mollie Blafer
Mollie is an Academic Guide in Pathway 1. She is from New Jersey and holds a B.A. in Sociology from SUNY Cortland and an M.Ed. in College Student Personnel Administration from James Madison University. She has a wide range of experience working with college students in community service-learning, career and academic decision making, academic coaching, and first student year orientation. Outside of work she enjoys going to the farmers market, hanging out in coffee shops, getting food with friends, and thrift shopping.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Keep plants alive...I don't have a strong track record between my own ability and my cat's attempt at eating them.
Where is the best place you’ve traveled to and why?
I recently went to Spain to visit the study abroad programs and fell involved with Alicante. The mixture of city life, mountains, and beaches all within 15 minutes was amazing. The food was incredible as well.
What is something you learned in the last week?
That I am better at being introverted than I could have ever imagined, even though it's not by choice.
What’s your favorite line from a movie?
"Let me see...I know how to fence and you don't, or I have class and you don't; take your pick." -Hallie to Annie in The Parent Trap
What is the one thing you cannot resist?
Oreos with peanut butter...another Parent Trap reference. I guess this was a very formative movie in my life.