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New program brings advising to dorms

“It feels great to help other students discover the vast array of opportunities at Binghamton University” Glenn Kates, Discovery Assistant
Alexandra Isakova - Staff Writer

Alex Metternich/release photo editor
Junior accounting major Agung Gedhe seeks help from Resident Director Alyson Ferriss at the O'Connor Discovery Center.

Students can find advising resources close to home this semester now that Discovery Centers have opened in each residential community as part of the new Discovery Program.

The program was designed to help students during all four years at Binghamton University. Freshmen can take advantage of Discovery Assistants to help them register for classes, read their DARS report, understand general education requirements or get involved in volunteer and internship experiences.

Sophomores have a special program designed to help them plan for the future, called “Plan of Action.”

Third-year students can participate in “Experiential Education,” which helps students who have studied abroad or have been a part of internships to reflect on their experiences and choose future career fields. Capstone Course is a senior-year program that compiles students’ portfolios collected over four years. These portfolios would then be sent to graduate schools or employers, said Discovery Program Director Elizabeth Carter.

There are currently eight Discovery Courses, which are regular classes with a focus on helping students achieve a set of goals. The Discovery Center also offers tips on test-taking techniques for studying.

“This is really helping a lot of students answer all kinds of questions concerning academic and career issues,” Carter said.

Each residential community has a Discovery Center staffed with Discovery Assistants. The centers are open during those hours when Academic Advising is closed.

Jay Oddi, a liaison from Academic Advising, visits each living community one night per week to give students more specific guidance.

The Discovery Assistants organize their own activities. Usually they set up tables to help students read their DARS reports or they invite professors from various academic departments to the centers. According to Carter, collecting and posting students’ schedules in each residence hall was successful in helping students create their own study groups.

“It feels great to help other students discover the vast array of opportunities at BU,” said sophomore Discovery Assistant Glenn Kates.

Freshman Stefanie Costo has barely heard anything about the Discovery Program, though she did say that it was convenient to have help available so close to her room.

“It should be emphasized more,” she said.