Calling all DRC students! We are hosting an end of the year celebration, with free LUNCH provided on Wednesday, December 10 - come out for a break before finals start and meet other students! Please RSVP below so we know how much food to provide. When it comes to choosing a college major, there are so many factors to consider - from your passion to your personality to your abilities to your future goals. It's best to choose a major that complements all four. How did I choose my major? I graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's in design and psychology. Coming in as a design major, I knew that I loved graphic design from the start. It was a passion I had grown through high school, attending pre-college programs at UCLA and RISD. But I'm a natural ISTJ (according to the Myers-Briggs test), and so practicality was very important to me. As a designer, I knew that I had the ability to design according to given guidelines - I could whip out a poster, or a flyer, or a brochure and do it well. But when I saw the boundless creativity of other graphic designers out there, I knew that I didn't have the creativity to succeed in the field according to my life goals. I wanted stability, and seeking out new job opportunities as a freelancer absolutely terrified me. That was the reality of the field of graphic design. So I found another field that I was passionate about - psychology. I absolutely loved psychology classes from the start, and it was a field I quickly picked up on. But doing research on the field, I found that it was extremely broad - it included industries such as human resources, business, education, and medicine. I had always loved working in the education industry, and had a passion for working with college students. With my personality, I also had a natural tendency to organize, schedule, and plan ahead in my own academics and had helped others in this aspect as well. And so, after graduating from my undergraduate career, I choose to attend a master's program in counselor education - and here I am!
One thing that keeps popping up here at the DRC is the flexibility we all must have to be available to help students. Sometimes it is as simple as seeing a student who forgot the time and is running late. Sometimes it is the student who is so excited at seeing the Academic Coaches that he/she is very early. I find I am so excited to be helping students (especially when they can see that aha! moment when something clicks) that it is a pleasure to come to Foothill. Yes, I commute and I suppose I could let the stress of that make me a bit grumpy, but usually I go over who I am planning to see that day, reviewing out loud (and why not? I’m in the car by myself) tips that I think that particular student might try for time management, or what I can do to help them get better grades by looking at their tests and suggesting strategies for doing better next time.
I also find myself being flexible when I am actually meeting with a student, as well. Perhaps I’ve prepared a nice set of tips to talk about but when we get together, the student had a hard time in a class and instead of discussing their History assignment or their Math assignment, they convey that they are most concerned about their next paper. One student was planning to visit the TLC for some tutoring, but didn’t know where to start his paper (and he wanted to get something done on it instead of waiting) so we spent a few extra minutes discussing ideas for his research. That ended his nervousness because now he had a defined goal to reach so that when he went to the TLC he was more prepared. And that is what academic coaching is about: helping the student prepare for the next week, test, quarter, or meeting. Being flexible helps with that and at the same time leaves the student feeling a sense of direction and accomplishment. I love it! Hi everyone! We are the new academic coaching team from Foothill College's Disability Resource Center! This blog will be a place for us to post useful information, tips on studying and time management, and fun images and videos. Here's some information about who we are.
SHEILA BURSON I am a graduate student at Mills College in Oakland, California; I like to spend my free time reading and writing. I am a published author and I have been working on a trilogy of mysteries, time travel and witches for the young adult genre for three years. With my first novel in the trilogy finished, I am currently working on finishing the second in the series and hope to find an agent within the next year. I have a wonderful son with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and have several years working with students with various apparent and non-apparent challenges as they work through their education. I have served on various community committees, worked for over ten years as a tutor to assist students with their challenges to be successful and has worked as an advocate for the rights of such students. My particular interests as an academic coach include working with veterans, those with ASD and dyslexia. I will be giving workshops this quarter on several different topics, the first of which is time management on October 17, 2014. I also look forward to meeting and partnering with Foothill students to help them achieve their goals. LYNN CHANG My name is Lynn and I'm currently a master's student specializing in counselor education at San Jose State University, having recently graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's in psychology and design. Having worked various positions in both fields, I found that my heart always returned to working with students. With a knack for what I call "anti-procrastination," I am currently pursuing my future goals of advising and coaching other students in better time management, scheduling, and other skills so that they can find themselves with more free time than they ever imagined. As an educational coach at the Disability Resource Center, I am looking forward to getting to know new students at Foothill, to be able to not only build upon my skills but also to grow in my own understanding of each and every unique individual. In my free time, I love going on photo walks, making DIY crafts, and going on milk tea runs. DEWITT STUCKEY Hello my name is Dewitt Stuckey. I am an Academic Coach here on campus with the DRC. I currently attend San Jose State University as a graduate student in Education Counseling. I decided to work in the education field because as a child I moved between 9 different elementary schools making it impossible to build a solid foundation for academic success. However, with the support of middle school and high school resources I was able to attend college on a full ride scholarship to play football at the University of Oregon. My goal is to help students overcome their challenges and turn them into successes. And don't forget, our first workshop is coming up in a few weeks! |