One of the newest departments to Clayton State’s campus is the brand new First Year Advising and Retention Center (FYARC). Opening Fall 2011, the Laker Class of 2015 has already had the opportunity to prepare for their first semester on campus by meeting their new Academic Advisors. The center’s brand new office is located inside of the newly renovated Natural and Behavioral Sciences Building, conveniently placed within the center of campus.
Compared to the previous system of advisement, the class of 2015 will be able to take advantage of having the same advisor throughout their entire Clayton State career. If a student decides to change their major at any time, their assigned Academic Advisor will remain the same. “The FYARC is taking a holistic approach to advising. Students will now be able to build a solid relationship with their Advisor; Advisors will now be an active part of their success,” says the FYARC’s new Director, Mr. DeLandra Hunter. Mr. Hunter, a native of Chattanooga, TN, comes to CSU by way of the University of West Georgia where he served as their Associate Director of the EXCEL Center.
“The mission of our center is to increase retention of first-year students through first year advisement”, Mr. Hunter says. “Students and their advisors are now able to work closely throughout a student’s academic career without the student having to worry about being changed to a new Advisor who they are unfamiliar with.”
Along with Mr. Hunter; Ms. Marcia Bouyea-Hamlet, the center’s Assistant Director; and Ms. Amy Poole, Administrative Operations Coordinator, the center is equipped with two full-time Academic Advisors, Mr. Jerryal Pettigrew and Ms. Erica Jackson. Both Mr. Pettigrew and Ms. Jackson enjoy working closely with students to ensure they reach their full potential at Clayton State and teach the CSU 1022 freshman course.
“We are excited and prepared to personally cater to each student in many different ways in and outside of the office,” Mr. Hunter says. “By providing an all-inclusive advisement experience and being familiar with each program of study, we are first and foremost dedicated and enthusiastic about the success of our students.”
