Fairs to help students find pathways to success
A series of eight fairs is on the agenda to help students find their path to success in the future.
The Pathfinder Fairs, which are sponsored by the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Advising Office, are designed to help undeclared students gather information and provide a place for declared students to meet professors in their college and even research other majors.
“Anyone who wants to come can come. The fairs are for everyone,” said Sally Peterson, coordinator of the fairs and adviser in the Science/HASS Advising Office.
Undeclared students account for approximately one-fourth of the freshman class. The total number fall 2001 was 2,300, she said.
“[Picking a major] can be an overwhelming process to students,” Peterson said.
The HASS advisers help as many students as they can, but to declare a major, students need to know themselves, she said.
The fairs, presented by each college and the Career Services Office, will give students an opportunity to gather information the student catalog, the department Web sites and the undeclared advisers often cannot provide. At each fair, students will find other students, professors, advisers and maybe alumni of the majors and programs a college offers.
Mary Leavitt, director of the Science/HASS Advising Center, gave some reasons for the fair. The colleges are interested in recruiting students to their majors, she said. Furthermore, the fairs help fulfill university goals. For example, helping students find their area of interest connects them to a college and keeps them at USU.
Both Leavitt and Peterson said being undeclared is OK.
“It’s the smartest thing to do,” Leavitt said.
However, there is a lot of stigma attached to being undeclared, she said.
Peterson explained that shouldn’t be the case.
“Undeclared students are in good standing with the university. They just haven’t decided yet,” she said.
Undeclared students have many questions that can be answered by these fairs, she said. They can find out where to go for program advising, what the requirements are, whether they need to apply for their desired program, and what careers will be available after graduation.
Rachelle Jeppson, peer adviser and former undeclared student, said she can see the fairs’ benefits.
“It’ll be nice to get a variety of the majors that are out there and get a better feel for the department and professors,” she said.
Leavitt pointed out there is more to gain from the fairs than advising.
“Refreshments will be served at all fairs,” she said.
-jwight@cc.usu.edu
Fairs held in Lundstrom Center
Sept. 12 – 3:00-5:00 p.m. – Career Services
Sept. 18 – 4:00-6:00 p.m. – College of Education
Sept. 25 – 3:00-6:00 p.m. – College of Science
Oct. 3 – 3:00-6:00 p.m. – College of Nat. Resources
Oct. 10 – 3:00-6:00 p.m. – College of HASS
Oct. 17 – 3:00-6:00 p.m. – College of Agriculture
Nov. 12 – 3:00-5:00 p.m. – College of Business
Nov. 18 – 3:00-6:00 p.m. – College of Engineering