If you are an engineer you have likely stepped inside the Engineering General Resource (EGR) office. Still remember your EGR advisor? Don’t let the large engineering pool or the fact that each advisor can have upwards of 400 students to advise fool you: chances are they remember you too!
The EGR office full of current students utilizing its many resources including drop in advising and tutoring.
Photo Credit: Chris RossThe EGR office is made up of 5 full time advisors: Eman Zaki, Tanya Cutsforth, Beth Dawson, Heather Mialik, and Bonnie Schmidt. Each advisor is assigned certain engineering departments. Tanya Cutsforth, who I spoke with, is the advisor for intended electrical and computer engineers.
Michelle Bay describes her experience with the EGR advisors as “a positive, very personal experience.” Like most students, Michelle typically visits her advisor once or twice a semester to take advantage of what the advisor has to offer.
Most students typically see their advisor once a semester: when they schedule their classes. As a result, advisors are busiest right before class sign up. Outside of the busy scheduling period, most advisors’ calendars are free – making it a much more ideal time to visit.
According to Tanya Cutsforth, these academic visits usually unfold in two ways: Curriculum guides and/or referrals. Advisors will initially go over everything from your DARS report, future classes, and, then refer you to potential tutors or support you may need.
Advisors are a great resource; they can connect you to information about studying abroad, certificates, changing majors, and more. Tanya herself says that “we all know a lot of advisors on campus.” Whether it means providing a connection to another advisor, the EGR advisors want to “make sure people understand the resources available to them,” says Tanya. Advisors are brimming with information from where to find great study groups and general preparation strategies to what the scoop is behind certain professors.
This year, the EGR advisors provided first year students with a new resource, Group Advising Days. Over the course of two days they provided information sessions where Tanya says “students came in to hear course choices for the spring, experienced a resource fair, received cross college advising, and got to speak with many other departments.” She describes this resource as a “one stop shop” to help students become better informed. A majority of engineering freshman attended and the event was deemed a success. Another Group Advising Day is being planned for next fall.
Advisors admit that sometimes it’s hard to break through to students. First year students often are hesitant to take full advantage of advisors and support programs. Tanya says “it’s tough to know right away” when and where to get help in classes such as Calc 222 or EMA 201 (Statics). Most incoming students do not receive tutoring in high school and aren’t comfortable with asking for help. My freshman year my advisor recommended that I enroll in the math department’s Supplemental Instruction program –and as a result I saw an increase of two letter grades!
Most of the EGR advisors have been in students’ shoes. Take Tanya for example, when she was a freshman at UW-Madison, she was failing Calculus 221. She felt the disappointment, frustration, and confusion most students feel. She decided to go in to talk to her advisor who helped calm her down and assisted in switching her classes. Like the rest of the staff in the EGR office, Tanya wants to “help students avoid some of the missteps.”
Most importantly, advisors advise because they love it. Yes, academic advising is an important aspect of their job, but EGR advisors go beyond that daily. Tanya says “we really make sure to be accessible when they [students] need it.”
As an EGR student, there was one month that I had to take an excused absence due to health related issues and family events. My EGR advisor was there for me; not only did my advisor make it a point to advise me every step of the way – she checked up on me with a personal phone call while I was gone to ask me how I was doing.
Whether you are still an EGR student yourself or have been accepted into your program, our friendly EGR advisors provide the resources to a better life here on campus. Why not give the EGR office a call to schedule an appointment with your advisor? After all, the EGR advisors want to share their experiences with students. As Tanya puts it “ “the people who had the biggest influences on me as a student were my advisors and I want to pay it forward.”