Academic advising sessions held in July

Alaina Tackitt, at far end, leads Tampa session.

 by Anne W. Anderson
photos by Anne W. Anderson

PEL students met recently with faculty program coordinators, academic advisors, and other staff members recently to learn about new course offerings, about the best order in which to take courses, and how to take advantage of new articulation agreements and other opportunities.

About a dozen students attended each session -- the first was held in Tampa on Tuesday, July 19, and the second was held in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, July 26.

At the Tampa session, PEL Academic Advisor and Director of Writing Services Alaina Tackitt handed out individual degree plans to students attending and reminded them briefly what to look for on the report.

Program coordinators Catherine Griggs (American Studies and Humanities), Naveen Malhotra (Business Management and Management), Anne Geroux (Human Development), and James Welch (Organizational Studies) described new courses and opportunities within their respective disciplines, including articulation agreements with Nova Southeastern University, Stetson University College of Law, and Florida State University.  

(L-r) Christel Dykes, Madeline Fugate, and Kimberly Kelsey-Johnson read through material.

 Eckerd graudates have met the basic requirements of every accredited college in the United States, in that they have completed a major course of study, have completed general education requirements, and have completed a certain number of courses. The articulation agreements recognize that Eckerd's courses align closely with ones the graduate schools require in their undergraduate programs and that Eckerd students are thus prepared for graduate level work.

Tackitt explained that elective courses -- the ones often seen as what is left over after the major and general education requirements are met -- are what can make a student's degree stand out.

"If you have open electives," said PEL Associate Dean of Faculty, Margret Skaftadottir, "look for courses that will stretch you and be a little different from your major."

Childhood in America (AM334H), for instance, was mentioned as a course that could be useful to students in many different types of majors from human development to business, especially considering the number of businesses that market products to children and their parents. 

(l-r) Alaina Tackitt, Professor James Welch, Sabrina Webby, Professor Anne Geroux, and Daryl Osburn.

Tackitt also handed out draft versions of the 4-Term Schedule, then walked through the courses, many of them new, being offered throughout the year.


Professor Naveen Malhotra noted there are two new focus areas in Business: Entrepreneurship and Healthcare Management. Professor James Welch pointed out that a number of students who took the Grant Development (MN318S / Fall 2) course this past year were actively using the course to apply for grants.

Other opportunities for students include the SIFE/ENACTUS program, the Life, Career, and Personal Financial Planning course, and the PEL Honors Program. PEL Honors Program students Daryl Osburn and Yadira Montes Rivera encouraged students to consider applying for the program.

Following the group session, students and discipline coordinators broke into program-specific meetings.

Anne W. Anderson is PEL's director of blended and online learning

 and also is co-editor of The PEL Connector.