When you walk into the SPEA Student Services Office, the first face you’ll see likely is that of one of SPEA’s six student workers.

Jen Popiela, Monica Zachary, and Katie Boynton serve as SPEA’s student success assistants, answering student questions, scheduling advising appointments, and ensuring students are aware of the many services SPEA provides.

“When I first became a SPEA student, the front desk worker was the one who welcomed me into the school and made me feel comfortable,” says Zachary, a public safety management major. “I want to make other students feel the same way I did.”

That commitment to fellow students extends beyond the front office. Judith Atibil and Lauren French are experienced peer advisors, connecting SPEA students to their futures. Jessie Silguero is the newest member of their team.

“I wanted to be a student worker for SPEA because I wanted to be more involved in my school,” Silguero says. “This position allows me to make more connections and to give back by helping fellow students who are on the same path that I am.”

Peer advisors are upperclassmen SPEA majors who have been through extensive training to assist in guiding students toward the best resources for academic and professional readiness. One advantage peer advising provides to students is its flexibility and availability of the advisors.

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