Struggling academically and not sure where to go, the A.C.E is a good place to start
Emilie Cain - Editor in Chief
Navigating college life can be difficult, especially for first-year students. Monmouth College provides students with resources, located in the Academic and Career Excellence (A.C.E) office, that help combat these struggles.
“One of the reasons why we are in this space, and the A.C.E. stands for Academic and Career Excellence, is to bring offices together that make sense,” said the Director of Wackerle Center Leaderships and Fellowships Marnie Steach. “We wanted to make it more convenient and purposeful for students to walk into this space. To have some additional support as it relates to their academic success.
The A.C.E, in Hewes Library across from Einstein Bros. Bagels, houses multiple offices and resources for all students. Implemented two years ago, the success coach program helps students during their time here, as well as after college.
“As a team, we are success coaches, and we have assigned an INI section,” said Steach. “Incoming students have their INI instructor as their initial advisor, a mentor that is associated with their INI section, and a success coach. We try to reach out to the students a couple of times a semester to see if they are navigating everything okay. Also, to see if they are getting involved on campus and feel a part of this community.”
Also located in the A.C.E, Associate Director of Employer Relations and Internship Development Kristy Krisher helps students with career resources. “She focuses a lot on building those relationships with employers,” said Steach. “She has brought a ton of employers to campus for classroom visits. Allowing students to engage with and interact with employers from different industries so they can seek out opportunities.”
The A.C.E.’s global engagement office helps students find opportunities for to study abroad. In the Career Development and Experimental Learning position, Elizabeth Smith currently oversees the service programs and global engagement, but she will soon be leaving this position.
This position “creates procedures to help students with the process of going abroad. What they needed to do, and assisting with passport programs,” said Steach. “In the short term, until her position is determined, academic affairs will be taking care of all of that.”
What ties the A.C.E together is the registrar's office. Registrar Kristi Millar, along with staff members Lisa Eckley and Jill Munson, are the keepers of the academic records. “Throughout your time here, or even before you get to Monmouth, they are evaluating transcripts from college courses, AP courses, or anything that you would be bringing with you. Also, they are checking checks and balances to make sure you are moving forward, doing the things that you need to do to stay in good standing and complete your academic program here,” said Steach.
A new member of the Registrar’s Office is Jenny Sanberg, associate registrar. “She assists with registration, helps students with their application for degree, and when they want to change their major,” said Marnie Steach. “Any of those things that you would go to the registrar for, all those things can be done in this space. Like adding or dropping classes, all of that.”
Anyone in the A.C.E can be reached by their monmouthcollege.edu emails or by stopping into the A.C.E. to see if they are free.