New Academic Advising and Career Services Center enhances undergraduate student support

Pacific is expanding advising services for undergraduates by co-locating new academic advisors with career services staff in the new Academic Advising and Career Services Center, on the second floor of the McCaffrey Center on the Stockton Campus. The addition of academic advisors creates another touchpoint for students, bolstering existing support from faculty advisors, career advisors and care managers (formerly success coaches).  

Here is a brief overview of the academic network that supports students throughout their Pacific journey:

• Faculty advisors are the first touchpoint for students. They provide ongoing mentorship and assist students with connecting their academic major to potential careers, exploring experiential and post-graduate learning and creating an educational plan. Only faculty advisors can release registration holds.

• Academic advisors (a new role) complement faculty advisors. They assist students with academic-success strategies such as time management and organization, declaring or changing majors and minors, DegreeWorks, and policies and procedures. They also proactively reach out to students who need extra academic support and can connect students with other campus resources, including care managers.  

• Career advisors support students with finding internship and job opportunities, teaching job-search strategies such as writing resumes and preparing for interviews, providing Tiger Jobs training, assisting with planning for graduate school and connecting students with Pacific's alumni network.  

• Care managers (formerly success coaches) provide intervention and crisis prevention support by assisting students who encounter personal challenges that interfere with their academic and educational success. They strive to empower students to find solutions to any obstacles they may encounter at Pacific, while providing support with academic, family, health and other challenges.  

While there is some overlap in these roles, the goal is to ensure students have a broad support network. Faculty and staff should continue to use the early alert system to refer students from within Canvas or by completing the Support Services Referral Form. In addition to referrals, students can make their own appointments or simply drop in. Pre-Pharmacy Advantage Program students' primary advising and career guidance will continue to be supported by the Office of Student Affairs in the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Members of the university community are invited to attend the center's open house September 5, and every Thursday during September, from noon to 2 p.m.