The key to success at NSU might just be attending a fair.
The Office of Undergraduate Student Success will host the annual Undergraduate Student Success Fair on Sept. 14 in the Carl DeSantis Building Atrium from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The fair will feature tables from 19 NSU departments that promote student success, such as Career Development, Financial Aid, Henderson Student Counseling Services and Academic Advising, along with, of course, the Office of Undergraduate Student Success. At the fair, students will be able to learn about the services that each of these departments offer, as well as win prizes and free food.
Victoria Myer, assistant director in the Office of Undergraduate Student Success, said that the fair is like a one-stop shop where students can figure out what they want help with.
“Students will find information that they’re looking for and sometimes that they might not even realize they need until after they walk around and say ‘maybe I should set up a budget’ or ‘maybe I should see a success coach,’” Myer said.
Stephen Martony, senior finance and management major, attended the Undergraduate Student Success Fair last year. As a resident assistant, he said he’s brought some of his residents to the fair to show them all of the different NSU departments.
“The fair is best for freshman, but it’s good for anyone to learn about the departments,” Martony said.
Martony explained that the fair helped him to find points of contact for all the different offices and that he got an internship through the fair.
“The fair is a great way to network. Whether you’ve been on campus for a few years or you’re a freshman, you’re going to meet new people, and you never know what those people will have to offer you.”
Alex Lopez, sophomore marketing management major, also attended the Undergraduate Student Success Fair last year, as part of a scholarship requirement.
“As a freshman, the most useful to me was the Office of Student Success,” Lopez said. “The relationship I made with [Myer] at the fair continued the whole year on, and during finals time, she helped me to plan out my finals schedule.”
Myer said that the office’s goal, through programs like the fair, is to get students to graduate, but that student success means something different depending on the student.
“Some students are just trying to graduate, some are trying to get into a medical program, some are trying to go to graduate schools,” she explained. “So we meet with each student individually and try to figure out what their definition of success is, and then we try to work with them so they can get there.”
For Martony, success is graduating with as many experiences as he can.
“That means taking advantage of all of the campus resources that are available,” he said. “I had never gone to a soccer game my freshman year, and then I went to the fair and talked to the athletics department. They promoted it, they gave us schedules, and they got me involved.”
Myer said that the fair is a fun and relaxed atmosphere, to make it easier for students to feel comfortable talking to representatives from the different departments.
“You’re going to get food, stuff and information, and you’re going to get to meet lots of people and build your network across campus,” she said.
For more information about the Undergraduate Student Success Fair, contact Myer at vlaffert@nova.edu or 954-262-8535.
Photo Credit: V. Myer
Photo Caption: At the fair, students will be able to meet with NSU departments that can help them throughout their college careers.
