The Power of an Advisor’s Encouragement: Climbing the Academic Mountain
Are you afraid to start? Bucks County Community College awakens this 2024 spring semester, encouraging new and returning students to embark on new journeys and opportunities by offering support through advising.
Don’t let the advising scares get to you, it’s simple and welcoming here at Bucks. Advisors understand anxious feelings about returning, especially after any changes or uncertainties, but good advice will guide you in the right direction.
“It’s because of you that I’ll be walking down that stage,” said one of Professional Advisor Patti Hemko Alloway’s students.
Social and Behavioral Sciences Studies Professor of 24 years and Adviser for 11 years
Professor Alloway pushes students to their highest potential and truly believes in them even if they don’t believe in themselves.
“This guy came in with his family, his three kids and his wife, I’ll never forget” stated
Alloway. He was also working in contracting and physical labor, yet he always wanted to be a teacher.
“Am I crazy? A father of three, a working man and a husband” he asked her.
“You’re not crazy. Anybody can come back, and do it as well as they want to, for as long as they want to” Alloway stated.
Alloway implied she just recently got an email from that same student, that is now going to be graduating from Holy Family with a degree in Pre-K through 4. She was his advisor the entire time he remained at Bucks and still remains in contact with him.
By the uplifting support and the empowerment, he got from the advising, he was able to gain the momentum and the strength to proceed.
Alloway preaches on why encouragement is so important for students. “It can seem like a mountain to them, so if you don’t make it seem like such an insurmountable mountain by giving constant encouragement, it is more doable and promotes the feeling of self-achievement.”
She strives for students to believe they can achieve their goals, under any circumstances by encouragement and genuinely caring about their growth. “I’ve seen some pretty neat success stories” she states.
In her advising, she gives students exactly what they need to know and all the steps they have to take. After transferring schools, students have still reached out to her for guidance.
The same student emailed Alloway saying, “Every time I drive by Bucks, I think about you and the amount of people that you helped and without your encouragement, I never would have come back and now I’m graduating, doing an internship in an elementary school in 3rd grade, under a great teacher. I’m so happy that you pushed me to do this because I would have had regret for the rest of my life, I feel like if I didn’t meet you as my advisor, someone else might have not pushed me and shown me that I can honestly do this as a working, married with kids individual.”
“I was so happy when I got that email, he’ll make a great teacher,” Alloway said. The student even invited her to his graduation because of the value and the impact she had made in his life.
“Continuity from beginning to end” Alloway states. She mentions if a student meets with them coming in and they continue to be your advisor throughout your entire time here, it makes it less daunting and confusing.
“Professional advisors are going to send you that follow-up email so that you don’t feel alone,” Alloway says. Registration can come off as complicated, so Alloway always makes sure she puts the time in to send the instructions, next steps and links so students don’t feel lost.
Helpful advising is a significant part of someone’s academic career because it’s how you perceive and learn about your progress. “I am a professor part-time and their professional adviser, I know all of their programs in the back of my hand.” She breaks down the students’ requirements customized to their personal plans to continue their growth.
Alloway said “We want advising to be a place where people come and feel welcome and feel like we can give them the best answer that we can or point them in the correct direction.”
Taking the step to move forward can seem overwhelming but Bucks Advising Services offers help and embraces positive change. Bucks is an amazing start to career advancement and personal growth. “We offer flexibility for non-traditional and traditional students, when you at least have your associate degree, you have a better chance of obtaining higher paying employment and it could also be a stepping stone,” Alloway said.
That student’s life was completely changed because of Professor Alloway’s encouraging guidance. She enlightens students with the motivation and the determination they need to carry the confidence to succeed in their dreams.
It’s never too late to start climbing that mountain, spring and summer classes are now open, starting on March 11 and May 20. Fall registration opens on March 25.
For more information or to get in contact with advisors visit https://www.bucks.edu/academics/advising/.