Feb 09, 2026

News/Notes for Undergraduate Academic Advisors: UNI Career Fair | Did You Know: Drop vs. Withdraw | Encouraging Student-Faculty Engagement

UNI Spring Career Fair
  • Wednesday, February 18, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the McLeod Center
  • This campus-wide fair, for students and alumni seeking a full-time job, internship, co-op or part time experience, is broken up into 3 industry sectors:
    • Law Enforcement & Government | Community & Healthcare | Business & Industry
  • It is recommended for students to devote at least an hour to the event to connect with recruiters and present themselves professionally to potential employers.
  • For more information, view a list of employers attending and tips to prepare for the fair.  Share this graphic with your students!
Did You Know: Drop vs. Withdraw
  • A drop is removing one (1) or multiple courses from a student's semester schedule but raining in at least one (1) course
    • Use this link when dropping a course(s) for: Determining how it will affect a student | Deadlines for Dropping | How to Drop a Course: Undergraduate Students
    • Drop form
      • A completed form (with signatures if required) sent to registrar@uni.edu must be from the student's UNI email. 
        • All forms received from a personal (non-UNI) email will not be accepted.
  • A withdrawal is removing all courses from a student's semester schedule.
    • Use this link when withdrawing from all courses for:  Determining how it will affect a student | Deadlines for Withdrawing | How to Withdraw from the Semester: Undergraduate Students | Refunds for Withdrawals
    • Withdrawal form
      • A completed form (with signatures if required) sent to registrar@uni.edu must be from the student's UNI email. 
        • All forms received from a personal (non-UNI) email will not be accepted.
Encouraging Student-Faculty Engagement
  • Building a positive relationship with faculty
    • Share strategies students can use to start building rapport:
      • Introduce themselves (if necessary) | attend review sessions or supplemental instruction opportunities | Engage in classroom discussions or ask follow up classes during, after or at office hours
         
    • Promote relationship-building as a beneficial professional skill for:
      • Career exploration and mentoring
      • Undergraduate research opportunities
      • Connecting to individuals or organizations in a profession
      • Letters of Recommendation
    • Encourage students to develop a strong, positive connection with at least one faculty member by the time they graduate—ideally well before their senior year
  • Helping students make the most of office hours
    • Encourage students to view office hours as a conversation time, not only as help sessions for students who are having difficulties
    • Suggest students be prepared by:
      • Knowing why they are going to see a professor - having a clear purpose that can be conveyed so the engagement is meaningful and time used well
      • Reviewing readings, notes, assignments/projects, or exams to identify specific questions
        • Prepare questions in advance.  Not only will this help with purpose, but also help the student feel more comfortable and confident.
        • Bring the appropriate materials with them
    • Remind students that faculty expect and welcome office-hour visits - this is part of the learning experience!
    • Encourage students to use office hours early in the semester - not only before exams or for academic difficulties
  • Resource Consulted: Using Office Hours Effectively | The Learning Center, College of Arts & Sciences | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Is Your Student Questioning their Current Major?
  • Help them Pivot with Purpose by referring them to the Office of Academic Advising. Advisors offer personalized support to help students explore:
    • Major, minor, and certificate options | Reasons for changing majors (e.g., lack of interest, career goals, academic challenges) | Self-assessments like FOCUS 2 or Strong Inventory | Goal-setting and decision-making strategies
  • Encourage students to schedule an appointment or complete the Academic Discuss Your Major Options Request Form.
  • As a faculty or staff member, you can complete this referral form to start the outreach to a student considering changing their major.
Institutional Academic Advising Vision & Mission Statement (revised Spring 2016) [See Academic Advising Mission, Vision, Goals & Outcomes webpage]
  • Vision Statement: UNI aspires to create the best possible advising experience for each student.
  • Mission Statement: Academic Advising is a critical component of the teaching and learning environment at UNI. Advising is a personalized educational experience, empowering students to explore, articulate and achieve their academic, career and life goals.