For the past three months Linnea Branstrom has served as the interim coordinator for access services providing accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Prior to this Branstrom has been an academic advisor at Anoka-Ramsey Community College for almost three years. Branstrom graduated from St. Cloud State University where she completed a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling.
Branstrom explained that both positions are relatively the same at the core; advising and helping students achieve their academic goals. As an academic advisor she works with PSO students who are usually very prepared or accompanied by a parent. She said she also helps first-time students that just need a guiding hand to get through the process and occasionally an individual that woke up that morning and decided that they would start college that day. In some instances it would be the day classes were actually starting.
The core of both positions is similar in the aspect that students are helped to achieve their goals. Being an academic advisor comes with certain personal rewards, knowing that students are helped to navigate a steady course to achieve their goals. In access services the counselors go well past the core and delve headlong into heartfelt issues beyond an academic advisor. There is a deeper sense of fulfillment that is found within the realm of intrinsic value. Even though just basic reasonable accommodations are provided to afford a student the opportunity for a college education they can actively participate in life. The students involved in access services show a deeper sense of appreciation that is undeniably candid. “There is definitely a broader sense of appreciation and personal fulfillment associated with the position,” said Branstrom.
Branstrom said that ARCC has an average of one hundred intakes every semester. The needs vary from one student to the other and there is no standard answer for most situations. The desires and goals are the same as any other student, they know that there's a hard road in front of them and they're always very determined. Most of the students know their self well enough to understand the obstacles that lay in their path. In many cases the accommodation have relatively simple solutions. Branstrom said, first and foremost, "we just need to follow their lead and make sure we understand what the real needs are and accommodate them within reason."
Every semester the access services office will schedule a meeting with each student and reevaluate their needs to adjust accommodations in accord with their individual needs and class schedule. "Sometimes you have to sit down and explain to a student that what they are trying to achieve may be extremely hard to achieve based on their situation, this is always a hard conversation to have," said Branstrom.
Linnea Branstrom will be spending three days a week at Anoka Technical College as the coordinator for access facilities. Branstrom will still be at ARCC for two days a week as an academic advisor at the Coon Rapids campus.
I found your story interesting and learned a lot about what an academic adviser does. They seem to have a hard but rewarding job! I liked how you focused on the positive side of her job mostly.
ReplyDeleteNice job on your story, Patrick. The only thing I would have done a little differently would be to add some fun facts about Linnea to spice up the story.
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