New, current, or returning students are welcome to use the OMSA Advising & Mentoring services. When our students need to discuss their personal, educational, and career goals they meet with our Student Success Advisors (SSA’s) for support. These staff members are not academic advisors but work with academic advisors to ensure student success. The SSA’s are assigned to a targeted group of students (e.g., first year, Educational Opportunities Program (EOP), and President’s Award Program (PAP)) before classes begin.

Students are introduced to their SSA and to our other academic support and retention services at a special seminar focused on student success during orientation week. Students are encouraged to meet with their OMSA Advisor on a biweekly or monthly basis to monitor their academic progress. While working together the SSA will advocate and guide students to critically think to make informed decisions as they define and achieve academic success.

Illinois students who are not assigned to a Student Success Advisor are encouraged to meet with us during our daily Drop-In Advising & Mentoring hours at the Academic Services Center (ASC) located at 1103 W. Oregon Street, Suite E, Urbana, IL, and various campus locations (see schedule below). Students will have the opportunity to meet with an OMSA staff member daily on resources and support for their academic success. Even when a student is excelling academically, we are there to help students reach beyond their coursework to experience all the University has to offer. Students have the option of scheduling a virtual appointment (via Zoom or Teams) or an in-person appointment with a Student Success Advisor.

Drop-In Schedule

Time / Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00am – 12:00pm
In-Office		 Jazmine Thompson

 

 Maurice Haney

 

 April Garrison

 

 Grace Casillas

 

 All ASC Staff
1:30pm – 4:30pm
In-Office		 Jazmine Thompson

 

 Maurice Haney

 

 April Garrison

 

 Jennifer Mendez

 

 All ASC Staff

 

All drop-in appointments will occur at the OMSA Academic Services Center, 1103 W. Oregon St., Suite E, Urbana, IL 61801. 

Students working together

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In 2022-2023...

910
Unique Students Served
1,140
One-on-One Meetings
27,137
Total Points of Contact

Vision

We envision a culture of student excellence where participating students achieve their full academic potential and where mentoring services contribute to retention, persistence, and timely graduation in 4-5 years. To fulfill this vision, mentors will collaborate with academic advisors and other campus personnel to conduct meaningful mentoring experiences.

Mission

The Advising & Mentoring mission is to deliver world-class and empirically-based academic mentoring services that enable the University to fulfill its mission of student excellence, retention, and timely graduation.

Services

Mentoring services are designed to retain students and to provide them with sufficient academic skills that will ensure their timely graduation by:

  • Listening to students’ concerns and issues before connecting them with the most appropriate campus resources
  • Teaching students how to solve problems in a timely manner
  • Empowering students to be their best advocate
  • Advocating for students as needed

Mentoring services include, for example:

  • Academic enrichment workshops
  • Advocacy
  • Assistance with study abroad applications
  • Group mentoring sessions
  • Individual mentoring sessions
  • Information dissemination
  • Personal development workshops
  • Referrals

Learning Outcomes

As a result of participating in Advising and Mentoring services, students will be able to:

  • Identify multiple campus resources to answer questions or to solve problems they may be experiencing.
  • Identify multiple campus programs and services that can help them achieve their academic goals.
  • Identify multiple key contacts in their college when declaring a major.

Eligibility/Target Populations

Students eligible to participate in Advising and Mentoring services are:

  • First-year admitted students identified as Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) students
  • First-year admitted students who are recipients of the President’s Award (PAP) 
  • First-year admitted African-American, Latino/a, and Native American students
  • First-year admitted students who are first in family to attend college
  • First-year admitted students from low-sending counties
  • ACT scores and receipt of admissions fee-waivers are considered

Other students (e.g., transfer, probation, RISE, Illinois Promise) may request an academic mentor as space allows. Because of budget limitations, mentoring for students after their second year is limited to students with the most need. College Liaisons may recommend students at any level for participation with approval from the Associate Dean/Director or designee.

Questions about the Academic Services Center?

1103 W. Oregon Street, Suite E
MC-055
Urbana, IL 61801

 

The office entrance is in the back of the building (just behind Dubai Grill) and can be accessed from Oregon Street across from the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

If you need more information about tutoring, review sessions, study skills and supplemental instruction study, or study groups, please contact us!