September 2022

It is September, and we are well on our way into the fall semester! 

You may begin hearing concerns from your students about course workload increasing in both quantity and difficulty. I want to say something that may sound a little radical. Tutoring may not be the answer to a student having difficulty in a course. Sometimes it is; especially, if the challenge is with the content of the course. The Center for Academic Achievement and the Math Department Tutoring Center both offer tutoring services that can be helpful to students. Often, though, students need different or, even, additional solutions to help them be successful in a course.

If your student shares with you that they are struggling in a course, let me encourage you to start with asking questions. What about the course is challenging? What strategies have they already tried? How often and for how long are they studying for a course? What methods are they using to study? Based on what you learn, here are a few additional suggestions that may be used on their own or in tandem:

• Students often underestimate the time they should be putting into a class. You may remember from orientation that 1-3 hours of study time per credit hour is recommended, but building that kind of structure into their day can be challenging. A visit with an Academic Success Coach to learn more about creating a schedule and managing their time may be helpful. 

• A meeting with an Academic Success Coach may also be helpful if your student feels like they are studying for hours on-end, but they aren’t seeing results in their grades. A coach can suggest new study methods most appropriate for the types of courses your student is taking. 

• Your student may be someone who learns best by “talking it out”. Forming study groups for class can be beneficial for increasing learning and meeting new people. Most first-year students are taking similar classes, making it easier to connect. 

• Students can also receive help with writing from the FGCU Writing Lab and help with presentations and public speaking at the Communication Lab. These are both applicable to many courses offered at FGCU.

• Finally, students should never underestimate the benefit of communicating with and meeting with their professors. Whether it is a meeting to introduce themselves, an email to clarify an assignment or share the reason for an absence, or a drop-in to office hours to get help with something covered in class, I recommend students meet with each of their professors every semester. Office hours or instructions for scheduled an appointment are available on each course syllabus. 

Wings up!

Tabitha Dawes

Eagle Family Weekend

Don't Miss This!

Students have an opportunity to participate in an annual one-day conference-style leadership program called iLead Summit, hosted by the Multicultural & Leadership Development Center. This program is intended to connect FGCU student leaders, faculty, staff, and community partners, while promoting collaborative efforts, the development of leadership skills, and building lifelong relationships. Students can register via Eagle Link! 

Eagles Explore To Soar

Join Exploratory Advising in assisting your student with navigating the intricacies of choosing an educational pathway (a.k.a., major)!

The Eagles Explore to Soar (EETS) program is an opportunity for students to intentionally explore the connection between their selves (i.e., interests, skills, and personality), educational pathways, and career options so they can make empowered decisions about their future at FGCU. This program combines resources such as group workshops, individual inquiry, and one-one advising in an effort to provide students with diverse sets of tools to use as they make education decisions. If your student would like more information about this program, please visit Eagles Explore to Soar or email explore@fgcu.edu.  

We hope your student is having a great start to the semester! We are happy to see many Eagles back on campus!

• For the Fall semester, Exploratory Advising is doing Drop-In Wednesdays from 8:30am-2:30pm. These drop-ins can be conducted virtually through Microsoft Teams or In-Person. Students can sign in on our website (www.fgcu.edu/explore) or visit the Career & Exploratory Advising Center.

• As always, be sure to remind your student to continue to check their Eagle Email each and every day! This is where your student will receive important information from their Exploratory Advisor, but also the official line of communication from FGCU.

• We encourage your student to meet with us often and they can continue to schedule appointments with us outside of the required meetings as well. We are here to help! Students can schedule an appointment with an advisor in our office by clicking here.

• As of the first week of September, required holds were placed on student accounts. These holds will prevent students from registering for spring class, therefore we encourage student to complete the modules required for each hold as soon as possible. They can access the information on the holds through their Eagle Email or through the links on Canvas.

• Eagles Explore to Soar events are events available to all students who are looking to explore different majors, career opportunities, university colleges, and ways to learn more about their strengths and passions. You can learn more information here and sign up for all of the events on Eagle Link by using your Eagle Email and password. 



• Our office is located in the Career & Exploratory Advising Center in the Student Plaza. Our phone number is 239-745-4422 and our email is explore@fgcu.edu. Be sure to follow us on social media: Facebook: FGCU Exploratory Advising and on Instagram: @fgcuexplore

Important Reminder

Please remind your student to complete the Career Ready Eagles module NOW! This module is designed to provide an overview of FGCU’s commitment to supporting students’ post-graduation career goals and serves as the foundation for career success. It is designed to give an understanding of how to start the planning process and the tools that are available. Because this is a required module in Canvas, it is important that your student completes it before a hold is placed in second semester. Please encourage them to complete it early!

Etiquette Dinner

November 8 | 5pm-8pm

Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Airport FGCU

Would your student be interested in learning the proper etiquette when eating at a formal business or interview dinner? Learn from the experts, practice networking skills, and get a free meal. Students must register at 239-590-7946 or email careercenter@fgcu.edu in advance. Professional dress is required.  

The Center for Academic Achievement (CAA) knows that the first time in college can be a little bit daunting. We are here for all students, but if your student just started their college career, a visit to the CAA is essential for their successful college experience! Have your student check out our website at FGCU.EDU/CAA this week. Now that classes are in full swing, we highly recommend they take advantage of the FREE services the CAA offers:

• Make sure your student books a session with the Writing Lab as soon as they get their first writing assignment. Our consultants can help your student during any stage of the writing process, from when they first get their assignment guidelines and need an idea of where to start all the way to formatting the final citations.

• Make an appointment with an Academic Coach or do a drop-in! The ultimate focus of each meeting is to influence positive academic performance and continued professional growth. Academic coaching allows for improved performance and learning academic skills such as active learning strategies and memory techniques, goal setting, and test-taking skills. Time management and personal responsibility are essential for your student to learn during this change from high school to the university setting.  

• Schedule peer tutoring at the Tutoring Lab early in the semester. A popular misconception is that tutoring is just for students having trouble with course materials and that isn’t the case. It is for all students to enhance their understanding of classroom concepts. Our peer tutors are highly trained and qualified and appointments can be booked on our website. 



• Check to see if there is Supplemental Instruction (SI) for their courses. By attending SI sessions, your student will have the opportunity to discuss important concepts, develop learning and study strategies, and to test themselves before the professor does. 

Please follow us on Instagram for the most up-to-date information: @fgcu_caa