Undergraduate and graduate advising have transformed over recent months, with many new faces joining the College of Engineering.

Assistant Director of Advising Melissa Valdes and Academic Advisor Danielle Dailey recently joined Career Counselor Leslie Silva, who came aboard in January, in the Undergraduate Advising office. Graduate Student Services Coordinator Felix Flores also joined the college in March.

Only Dailey is new to Temple, with the others transitioning from other schools within the university. Something they all share is an appreciation for Temple's diversity and setting engineering students up for success.

"I hope students leave knowing they have a place to come when they have questions or need help," Dailey said.  "I want to give them support and encourage them to do their best academically, while also enjoying their time at Temple."

Valdes echoed that sentiment, adding that "it's a big university and it is easy to get lost between all the different offices."

"I feel like advising is the face of the university administration," she said.

According to Flores, though graduate students enter the workforce with an advanced degree, they tend to engage with career services less, as they typically work closely with faculty on course selection. But, brushing up on career skills can never hurt.

"My hope is to increase graduate students' exposure to critical campus career related resources so they can truly maximize the value of their degree upon graduation," Flores said.

Raised by an engineer, Silva completed an internship with the Temple Career Center before joining the college. Focusing largely on career preparation with students, one of her primary goals has been enhancing student communication skills.

"Our students have the technical skills and drive to shape their future. But I find that they often lack the verbal communication skills to sell themselves. I hope that every student leaving my office feels more confident about their skills and experiences," she said. "They are doing really amazing work and I want them to be able to talk about it with employers and other people in their network."

Another point she drives home about communication? Yes, you still have to submit a cover letter with that job application.

"The short answer," Silva said: "Yes!"

To learn more about undergraduate advising, click here. Graduate students with advising needs, click here.