About
What is your advising philosophy? My goal as an academic advisor is to ensure that students have the resources that they need to be successful during their academic journey, but also afterward as well. This includes their success inside the classroom, but also outside of it, gaining meaningful experiences and building strong relationships. I know I am making a difference for students when they feel empowered to make their own knowledgeable decisions for themselves. My greatest accomplishment will be knowing that students are feeling ready and confident to face the challenges that they have ahead of them in college and in life overall. Creating an inclusive environment where all students, no matter what race, gender, sexual orientation or age, will feel comfortable and respected as a student and person is of the utmost importance. There will always be new things to learn, so it is important to continually be growing personally and professionally in order to have the needed knowledge to best serve my students and the institution.
What was your path to Newnan? I actually began my experience in Newnan as an intern while in graduate school. During that time, I had the fortune to learn from the great team of advisors within the office who themselves bring different backgrounds and experiences that are great to learn from. After graduating from graduate school, my first role was as an Admissions Counselor here at the University of Michigan, where I had the chance to receive a deeper understanding of all things Maize and Blue. It was an awesome opportunity to be immersed in the Michigan community and welcome new Wolverines to campus. However, I had the itch to get back to advising students which led me to an Academic Advising role in the First Year Advising Center at Oakland University. Now I find myself in a full-circle moment returning to the office that helped give me my start in advising!
Why did you join Newnan? Everyone has different values that drive them, and having the ability to make a positive impact on lives is one of mine. My time in Newnan as an intern while in graduate school provided me with the chance to see first-hand what impact this team can have on students. Newnan is full of passionate professionals who truly want to see success for every student who steps onto campus. That previous experience in Newnan was the spark that further ignited my higher education/student affairs passion, and I have carried information that I learned during that experience ever since. Since leaving Newnan, I have always thought about what it would be like to be return in some capacity. I am excited for the opportunity to join Newnan as an advisor and work toward the mission of supporting current Wolverines achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals.
Class you loved and why? CTAC 225 (Listening Behavior), which covered the behavior, processes and theory of human listening. Whether it be in academic, professional, or personal life, having strong communication skills is such an important skill to have. For communication to succeed, both parties involved (the sender and receiver) must be able to exchange information and understand each other. This class opened my eyes to what active listening truly entails, and also allowed the opportunities to practice implementing those skills in real life. It's one thing to just hear what someone is saying, but it's another to listen and consciously make an effort to understand what it is someone else is trying to say. The skills that I learned in this class are skills that I continue to use in a daily basis, both in my advising role and just as a human-being.
Interests and hobbies: Most of my days involve taking care of my two cats (Winnie and Althea) with my wife Courtney. I enjoy spending time with my family, attending sporting events (excited to attend some more games at the Big House), and exploring new places when I get a chance!
