Julie Freedman, M.S., Assistant Dean
The Clay Center at VSB, #1054 Bartley Hall
610-519-5533
julie.freedman@villanova.edu
VSB employs a four-year, integrative advising program. The VSB advising team consisting of Academic Advisors, Peer Advisors, and Faculty Mentors, facilitates the exploration and development of academic and career goals, and empowers students to be responsible decision-makers and active participants in defining their futures. The advising team is a support system – from orientation to graduation – that provides exemplary academic resources enabling students to be active members of the Villanova student body and to successfully apply their unique talents and knowledge to become socially responsible members of the global community.
Each incoming first-year student is connected with an Academic Advisor and a Peer Advisor who are available to their advisees throughout their VSB experience. During the first year, advisors support students in their transition from high school to college and assist in curricular planning and development of educational goals. More specifically, advisors provide guidance regarding course selection, registration, and study abroad opportunities, as well as support students as they explore experiential education and service opportunities, choice of major options, and post-graduation planning.
Faculty Mentors have a breadth of knowledge to share regarding why a student would declare a major/minor in a specific field. They are available to all students to offer guidance regarding opportunities and career paths and to suggest elective courses, as well as secondary majors and minors where appropriate, to further support students’ interests and deepen their knowledge in a discipline of interest. Faculty Mentors are available to all VSB undergraduate students throughout their four years.
First-year students must meet with either their Peer Advisor or Academic Advisor each semester during the course registration period to discuss scheduling and to receive their registration PIN. These meetings are critical to ensure that students’ progress successfully through their degree program. All students are encouraged to meet with their Peer Advisor, Academic Advisor, and Faculty Mentor at any time throughout the year.
Transfer students are supported throughout their tenure in VSB by an academic advisor dedicated to working specifically with transfer students, addressing their unique challenges and concerns, and helping them navigate their transition from another college to VSB. Transfer students have full access to all VSB opportunities and programming and are further supported by the Transfer Student Professional Development Series and the VSB Transfer Student Organization.
VSB Peer Advisors are junior and senior business students who support VSB first year and sophomore students both individually and in group meetings. Peer Advisors serve as a point of contact, providing support and guidance with regard to college transition issues, course selection, major and minor exploration, study abroad and professional opportunities, involvement on campus, and adjusting to college living. In fall of 2022 semester, EY, one of the Big 4 public accounting firms, began sponsoring the VSB Peer Advisor Program.
The VSB Peer Tutor Program is a free service that supports the academic success of undergraduate students by providing drop-in office hours and the option to schedule individual tutoring appointments throughout the semester. VSB Peer Tutors facilitate students’ independent learning processes through a collaborative partnership that focuses on increased understanding of course content and exploration of successful strategies in approaching the material.