- What are some ways you follow up with students outside of a structured appointment?
I have a regular practice of
sending a follow-up email the day I first meet with a student. I
send them a re-cap of our discussion that day and individualized reminders,
encouragements, and resources as warranted. I also make a note of their
individual research/academic interests (we have a pretty amazing database that
we built for keeping track of this sort of thing) and follow-up again later
with information about opportunities in line with their interests as those
arise (if they arise). Before the student leaves the meeting, I
state and re-state several times that they will have my email address and can
email or call me anytime with questions about any step in the research process.
I emphasize that I want to know about progress – good or
bad – and that they can give me updates at any point. I have
several students who take this to heart and I get to celebrate their
successes with them as they go. Many other students only come to me when
they encounter an obstacle or may never come back to see me at all. As my
program is completely optional and can be navigated without my advising, all of
these outcomes are acceptable. (Although I prefer
to know how things are going for students.) Additionally, we require
students in UROP to attend a few events of each semester of funding and I
try to follow-up with students who have expressed concerns, difficulties, etc.
in person at the events that they attend.
- What are the challenges you face with following up and how do you address them?
The non-madatory advising for my
programs means that there is a limit to how much follow-up is appropriate from
me with students after an initial meeting, if they have not chosen to reach out
to me. This is my biggest challenge with following-up. In the
interim between an initial meeting with a student and the student’s application
to our programs, I have no way of knowing how they are doing unless they
reach out to me. I have no way of knowing if they even intend to pursue a
research project at all. And since engaging in research and, more
specifically, engaging in research via the programs in my office are optional,
increasing my follow-up may seem unwelcoming and pushy. Many students
need time between an initial meeting with me and an application to our programs
and this can be for a variety of reasons that do not warrant additional prompts
from me (e.g. the student came to see me very early on and did not intend to
pursue research yet, but wanted to get on the right path to do so later or the
student needs some time to process their interests and when a paid
research position can fit into their life). It is a fine line between
supporting students when they need it or it would be helpful and when it is too
forceful and will scare them away, especially in an optional program.
Submitted by:
Stephanie Shiver
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