SSC: What is your major?
Jazmine: My major is sociology.
SSC: When will you graduate?
Jazmine: I will graduate in the Fall of 2013
SSC: What career aspirations do you have?
Jazmine: I want to serve as an Officer in the United States Navy
SSC: What other plans do you have after graduating from EIU?
Jazmine: My other plans are to continue my education and get my Masters as well as my PhD
SSC: How did you become introduced to the Student Success Center?
Jazmine: A friend referred me and told me to come in and I did
SSC: How long have you been visiting someone in the SSC?
Jazmine: I have been visiting for a year now
SSC: What were some academic problems you were facing prior to visiting the SSC?
Jazmine: Some of the academic problems I was facing was learning how to study and getting acquainted with the curriculum here at EIU and I would visit every week or if some work would come up every two weeks.
SSC: How did the SSC help you overcome your academic struggles?
Jazmine: SSC has helped me by having the option of meeting once or every two weeks depending on my schedule. Giving me tools like Quizlet, time management help, and keeping track of my grades.
SSC: Have your academic habits continued to improve since you began visiting the SSC?
Jazmine: Yes my academic habits have continued to improve by meeting with my professors more, going to tutoring, and meeting with my counselors to let them know that I need help. The most important thing that has helped me is learning my style of studying. I have learned what works best for each of my classes.
SSC: Has your GPA improved? How much?
Jazmine: Yes my GPA has improved, its getting closer to where I really want to be and what I want to share. I have gone up 1.30 point on the GPA scale. Its coming up slowing but I’m working hard and improving every day (Jazmine obtained a 4.0 GPA during the Spring 2013 term).
SSC: Would you recommend the SSC to other students? What would you say?
Jazmine: Yes I would, I would tell them that SSC is giving me the tools to get my GPA and life where I want it to be. I don’t only talk about classes with my counselor I talk about what I want to do after my undergraduate term; volunteering, filling out applications for graduate school, my resume, and a host of other things.
SSC: Are there specific types of students you would recommend the SSC to?
Jazmine: Yes, I would recommend transfer students here because I am a transfer student from a community college and there was a big difference that I had to get comfortable with. The jump from a two-year to a four-year institution was difficult because there are so many things thrown at you as a new student. I didn’t know how to manage my time with all my classes, I was missing home and my family, and it was a struggle to make Charleston my new home. For me personally there was pressure to succeed when I didn’t know how.
SSC: Please provide a statement of your overall feelings of the SSC.
Jazmine: Overall I am thankful for SSC. To be honest I’m not sure if I would be as successful now with my studies as I am. What I really like is having graduate students that understand the struggles of the undergraduate term. They take what they have learned and worked for them and share it.
This interview was completed via email on February 26, 2013.