Welcome to CCPS!

As the Dean of the College of Community and Public Service (CCPS), I would like to personally thank you for your interest in one of our many academic programs offered across this college. In addition to exploring the exceptional academic programs the CCPS offers, I would also like to invite you to appreciate the wide array of services in place to support students’ successful advancement (e.g., professional advisors, writing and mathematical tutoring centers, student organizations and clubs). The CCPS is a community of professional scholars and lifelong learners – faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students – who value the educated mind, seek valuable learning experiences, strive for excellence, and are enthusiastic to give back to society.

CCPS scholars and dedicated faculty work persistently to deliver curriculum and high-impact learning experiences that connect classroom theories and lessons to expert career paths. Students who study in the CCPS are not only provided the opportunity to develop competencies that will prepare them for their professional futures, but are also afforded opportunities to engage and build their own intellectual learning experiences.

I hope you enjoy your time in the College of Community and Public Service. Together with our faculty and staff members, I welcome you to the college where students establish meaningful careers building vibrant communities.

Sincerely,
Dr. George Grant, Jr.
Dean, College of Community & Public Service

I would like to welcome you to Grand Valley State University and the College of Community & Public Service!

The College works to support our students' success through the services offered by the CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center (CCPS-UAC) and also by providing opportunities to engage with faculty mentors in the academic disciplines to discuss academic opportunities and professional interests.

The CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center provides academic advising and student support for all students interested in programs housed within the College. We encourage you to review the information we have provided in this newsletter as well as to connect with us personally during the fall semester.

I realize that new student orientation can often be a little overwhelming! If you would like to discuss what to expect in your first year at GVSU, please contact us to schedule an appointment with an advisor in our office! There are also helpful resources on our website.

We are excited about the new CCPS-STAR program and we hope that you will take a moment to read more about it and sign up to join us! There will be opportunities to win prizes (including an iPad) for participating in events or activities in your first year. We have also provided other ways to connect with GVSU and CCPS and we hope you will!

We are glad you have chosen GVSU and CCPS! We look forward to getting to know you in the upcoming year!

Jennifer L. McCaul,
Director, CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center

Undergraduate academic advising within the College of Community and Public Service (CCPS) is a collaborative partnership between students, faculty, and staff committed to developing meaningful educational plans aligned with students' values, goals, and interests. We engage students as active participants in their educational experience and empower them to successfully navigate the university in pursuit of their personal, academic and professional goals.

Here are just some of the ways the CCPS-UAC can help you achieve your degree goals:

• Degree Planning. 
• Goal Setting.
• Outreach & Support.
• Policies & Procedures. 
• Referrals.

More information about our services

The College of Community & Public Service has a dual advising system. This means that you have two different advisors within the college to assist you with your questions.

Your academic advisor in the CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center will assist you with developing meaningful educational plans, goal setting, and navigating the available university resources and policies. You will also be assigned a faculty mentor within your major interest area to assist you with professional inquiry, career planning, and other learning experiences.

You will need to meet with an advisor in the CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center to discuss your major interests, before being assigned a faculty mentor with similar experience or interests. We highly encourage an appointment during the fall semester. Please contact us to schedule something for September or October.

Meet the Advising Center Staff

The CCPS-STAR program is open to first year students in the College of Community & Public Service. The program is based around the Blueprint for Student Success and is designed to Challenge, Support, and Engage students in activities throughout the first year that increase the likelihood of a successful transition to college which leads to overall retention and achievement of long term degree goals.This program is voluntary and students may choose to participate at the level they are comfortable with or opt out at any time. Program participants are eligible to win an iPad mini at the end of the first year. See program guidelines on the sign up page for additional details

We want Students and Families to stay connected with us!!

This is the ONLY newsletter style message you will receive from our office, unless you choose to stay connected. We will send out monthly updates to let you know about upcoming events, resources, or other important information. We will only send you these updates if you sign up!

Additionally, you can Like our Facebook page or Follow us on Twitter and Instagram or regularly check our Website for events and information.

By staying connected with us, we can help you be more aware of events, jobs, internships, scholarships, and more that are pertinent to CCPS students and families.

Transitions

This exciting program helps first-year and transfer students meet new people, get acclimated to campus, and prepare for a successful university experience. All new first-year students are expected to participate in Transitions. Transitions begins on Wednesday August 26th. Transfer students may opt to participate in Transitions events but will not be placed into a small group like first year students.

Campus Life Night

Campus Life Night is a great way to learn about the over 400 registered student organizations on campus, campus resources, and local businesses and non-profits. Join us Tuesday, September 8th, from 6-9pm in Parking Lot H (across from the library)!

Laker for a Lifetime

There is a spirit at Grand Valley that bonds students, faculty, staff and alumni. You’ll discover it in our campus traditions. You’ll find it in our classrooms and corridors. You’ll carry it with you as you go through life. It is this bond, this spirit, which makes you a Laker for a lifetime.Check out some of the Laker traditions.

Few transitions in life are totally seamless. Shifting from high school or community college to a four-year comprehensive university like GVSU can bring about some difficult adjustments, including academic ones. But there are plenty of things you can discuss as a family in advance of your student's arrival to GVSU that will significantly ease her/his academic transition. Review our 7 Habits for Academic Success for some discussion items for your family.

Did you miss parent orientation? or Do you see want to the video again? Check out this super helpful video featuring a recent graduate's tips for new GVSU students!

Orientation 2015 Video

How family members can help:

•Encourage your student to establish strong relationships with advisors and faculty.

•Maintain open communication about grades and academic progress. GVSU provides mid-term grade reports to first year students in mid-October and early-March.

•Celebrate your student's victories, and encourage him or her to seek out help when difficulties arise.

•Encourage your student to get involved in student organizations. This provides another connection to the University and career-related skills.

•Although it may seem helpful, please refrain from doing any of these things for your student. Instead, help your student focus on his or her own abilities and direct them to seek the assistance they need.

•Connect with the GVSU Family Association for more ways to get involved! They also have many resources and information for families on their webpage!

First year students will be receiving an invitation to complete a survey in the next week. Your participation will allow us to understand what students expect from an advising center and will allow for us to tailor and improve our services. In return for your participation you will have an opportunity to win GVSU gear! Check your GVSU student email for this information!

All students (first year and transfer) should check their GVSU email as this is the official communication method for the university. You may be missing out on important annoucements and information if you are not using your GVSU email account! You may choose to set up forwarding to a different email account using these steps.

The CCPS Undergraduate Advising Center staff are here to assist you with issues related to your degree progress and navigating GVSU policy and processes as you work toward  your degree goals. You should meet with an academic advisor at least once a semester or whenever you have questions. As a new GVSU student we recommend checking in during September or October. During this meeting we can talk about how things are going during your first semester at GVSU, as well as plan for the next year.

An appointment is strongly recommended to ensure an advisor is available to meet with you. You may schedule an appointment online or call 331-6890 or stop by 321C DEV to schedule a convenient time that works for you.

Although you have been assigned to a specific advisor, you may meet with any advisor in our office who works with your major based on availability and what is most convenient with your schedule.

Review the RU Ready Information  for how to be prepared and make the best use of your scheduled time with an academic advisor.

• WHO?                
  ALL NEW GVSU students (freshman and new transfers)
• WHAT? 
  Web-based survey – takes 20 minutes
• WHEN?               
  Survey opens September 17th
• WHY?                  
  You will get results from the survey that tell you how to get the most from your time at Grand Valley State University!

Successful GVSU students complete Mapworks!

We want you to be aware of an exciting survey and success program that you are invited to participate in as part of your first-year at Grand Valley.  Mapworks is a survey that all new-to-Grand Valley students take the third week of the semester. As a result, you will get feedback from the survey about how you are doing compared to your peers and insight into how to  be successful at GVSU. And once the survey is complete, we encourage you to connect with your academic advisor to discuss your results! When the Mapworks invitation arrives on September 17th make sure you take the survey!