During your time in UConn Engineering, you will be assigned to an academic advisor. Advising in the school of Engineering is mandatory for every student every semester. You can get in touch with your advisor by email, Nexus, WebEx, etc.
Advising in the school of Engineering is based on a 2+2 model, meaning that you are:
- Assigned to a professional staff advisor, an educator by training, for your first two years.
- During your second two years, you will transition to a faculty advisor, an engineer by training. Both advisors have complementary areas of expertise that will help you as you journey toward graduation.
- It is important to note that an academic advisor is different from a high school counselor.
Advisor/Advisee Role
Here are some things about what you can expect from your academic advisor and what your advisor will expect of you. The only way that the advising relationship is successful is if the relationship is 50/50. Both advisors and students have responsibilities that mirror each other, as the relationship is collaborative.
As the University Advising Office’s website states, “no single advisor has expertise in all of the areas a student may wish to explore,” which means that making connections around campus with faculty, staff, and student mentors will be important for gathering information, accessing support, and even asking for letters of recommendation. More information on the advisor role at UConn can be found here.
Student Email Etiquette
Below, you will find a general framework for constructing an email to your advisor. Please be sure to include the following information:
- Salutation
- Student ID number (7-digit number specifically assigned to you). This number can be found on your UConn student ID under your name.
- Details – Include all pertinent information in order for your advisor to properly assist you.
- Email Example:
Resources for Students
Your advisor is really knowledgeable about this fairly large campus and it’s vast resources! Getting referred to various offices by your advisor is an important part of the advising relationship and it’s important that you follow up with these other offices and other types of advisors, mentors, or general support to get the help you need here to be successful and achieve your goals.
Finally, UConn School of Engineering offers a multitude of resources to ensure student success. Check out the School of Engineering Tutoring Center and the School of Engineering Peer Mentor Program!