The transition to college is exciting, challenging, confusing, stressful and eye-opening. Building relationships and finding your place in a new community are two incredibly difficult things to ask of an 18-year-old freshly out of high school, or a non-traditional student looking to find their place among peers from a different walk of life. Yet, building relationships and finding community are two of, if not the most important things you can do to set yourself up for success in college and beyond.
In a time where everything can seem confusing, getting to know your professors can make you feel more comfortable, capable and confident. Professors can, and many if not all want to, help with your schoolwork and finding your balance in college.
At worst, you get help on an assignment. At best, you could find a mentor who will help you through college and potentially even a connection that could get you a job down the line.
I understand talking to professors, or anyone, can be daunting. So, to get a head start on some insights into success at college, I did it for you.
Christine Pease-Hernandez is an associate professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and Sport Management at Slippery Rock University with two decades of experience with students here.
The following is my conversation with her.
Aidan Treu: How long have you been working here?
Christine Pease-Hernandez: I have been at Slippery Rock since 2004, so I am starting my 21st year.
AT: What do you notice about the most successful students?
CPH: The most successful students overall are the students that go to class, who communicate with their professors, who make an effort to continually improve in terms of their writing. They use resources like the Writing Center. They come in and talk to professors if they have questions about their assignments. You can tell when a student is driven. If they know they have weaknesses, they’re willing to work on those weaknesses.
AT: What do students gain from talking to and getting to know professors early on in freshman year specifically?
CPH: I want to take a moment to go back a little bit before I answer that question. I have noticed an increase in students having difficulty talking to one another, just engaging in conversation, and thinking about how they might be perceived if they reach out to someone, whether it be a classmate and specifically a professor. I feel that sometimes students feel they have to have a problem to go in to talk to a professor. You do not have to have a problem to go see a professor. Many professors have hundreds of students when we count them all together, and it’s very difficult to get to know their names. One way that helps me to get to know my students is if they come to my office. I also tell students that developing relationships with your professors is so important because they are the ones that are helping to guide you. They see your work and they are the ones who inevitably could be writing you letters of recommendation. They are the ones who could serve as your reference, whether you’re applying for a job, an internship or even graduate school. It’s really important for professors to have this time to interact with you so they can get to know you and you can get to know them. And it’s a form of networking.
AT: How is it easier for professors to help their students if they know them and understand them better?
CPH: Just think of a friendship. When you get to know someone, if they’ve self-disclosed, if they’re willing to share some of the situations or issues that they’ve gone through, some of their ways of thinking, their values, what’s important to them, then you’re able to connect more. I would use that analogy and say when your professors get to know you, your values, your skills and your work ethic, they’re able to speak on your behalf in a more competent manner.
AT: How does a student getting to know a professor as a mentor allow them to succeed and find leadership positions?
CPH: Professors often keep in contact. The likelihood of keeping in contact with graduates is very high. I’m very happy to share that there is a student who I had in Communication Concepts over 10 years ago and who sent me a thank you note because she constantly thinks about the content that we covered in class. She appreciated the help that I gave her. They’re coming to meet me here at 11 tomorrow. She hasn’t been here since she graduated and we’re going to walk around campus. My interaction with this alum helps me to network and learn what’s going on so that I can help my students. It’s those connections with graduates across the years that many of us have, where an alum will say, “I need someone in this area. Do you know anybody?” And if you’ve never come in to talk to me, there’s no way that I can give your name as someone who might be interested in working for this individual or interning for this individual. We have a lot of connection, whether it be with our alum or advisory boards. We have faculty who keep in touch with internship partners. It’s just in a student’s best interest to keep in contact, get to know us and allow us to get to know them so that we have people that we can say, “oh yeah, I remember this student who I had in class was really passionate about something.” It’s a way that we can support our students.
AT: What advice do you give to younger students coming into school and trying to figure out where they belong here?
CPH: You make Slippery Rock University what you want it to be. I say that to students, I say that to my colleagues and new faculty. One of the wonderful experiences that I have had at Slippery Rock is the ability to make Slippery Rock what I want it to be. Students can start that right from the beginning. Get out of your way. We are our own biggest obstacles. We can figure out all of the reasons why you can’t go see a faculty member. All of the reasons why you can’t go to the Campus Success Center. All of the reasons why you shouldn’t get involved in an organization, right? We need to be encouraging ourselves, engaging in positive self-talk, thinking, “okay, what can I do? How can I get involved? How am I painting the picture that I’m going to present to employers in four or five years down the road?” You can start it now. It’s a matter of being intentional, getting out of your residence hall, your apartment, and getting involved. It’s a matter of thinking about where your weaknesses are. Where can you grow? If you happen to not have a lot of exposure to diversity, whether it be race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, learn about those things. Get involved. Go to events on campus. Expose yourself to different experiences so that you can grow personally and professionally.
