Category Archives: Student Success

12.06.16

Extended Hours in Enrollment Services

The LLCC main campus will be offering extended hours for registration leading up to the start spring classes, beginning this Saturday.

Admission/Registration/Records, Advising/Counseling/Career Services, Financial Aid and Placement & Testing will be available in addition to regular hours on the following:

  • Sat, Dec 10, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Mon-Thu, Jan 2-5, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • Sat, Jan. 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Mon-Thu, Jan. 9-12, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

The Bookstore will be open during regular hours of Mon-Thu, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Fri, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., with the addition of Sat, Jan. 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

11.11.16

Crisis Counseling available to students

As we head into the holidays and the end of the semester, the Office of Advising, Counseling and Career Services would like to make sure all faculty and staff are aware of our counselor’s line.  If you have a student in crisis and in need of counseling just call 786-9660.  A call to the counselor’s line will be answered immediately.  One of our Student Development Professionals will be made available to meet with the student.  The Student Development Professional can come to where the student is or you can bring the student down to the Advising, Counseling, and Career Services Office.

Our office is open from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.  If you need crisis assistance during non-business hours please call the LLCC Police Department’s emergency line at 786-2222.   If a crisis occurs at one of our Outreach Centers, staff can call the Counselor’s Line and we can speak with the student by phone and make arrangements to visit the center as soon as possible to meet with the student in person.

10.17.16

Resources for students in Advising, Counseling and Career Services

With the retirement of the Center for Academic Success’ Student Development Professional, I want to remind everyone of the resources available in the Advising, Counseling and Career Services office.  Now at mid-term, with the holidays approaching, these can be stressful times for students.  We have four Student Development Professionals available to talk with students: Anne Armbruster, Melissa Franzen, Claire Heffron-McKinney and Ryan Howland.  These professionals can provide short-term, personal or career counseling and are trained in crisis intervention.  Students can contact Advising, Counseling and Career Services to make an appointment with one of them.

Also, if you have a crisis situation, faculty or staff can call 786-9660 for immediate assistance (please note: this phone number is for faculty and staff only, students are encouraged to call 786-2224). If you have questions, please call the office of Advising, Counseling and Career Services at 786-2224.

Mary Beth Ray, M.A., LPC
Director, Advising, Counseling and Career Services

10.17.16

Free “Interviewing Skills” workshop for students Wednesday

Career Services and Student Life are collaborating to provide a free career workshop to students entitled “Interviewing Skills” on Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. in the A. Lincoln Commons.

Presenter Paul Carter has been the director of Human Resources at Cast Industries Inc. for the last 10 years and previously was the senior employee supervisor of stages at Express Personnel Services for 13 years. Mr. Carter is known in the Springfield community as a hiring specialist and prides himself on matching workers’ skills with companies in need of specific types of employees.

Please encourage your students to attend!  If you have any questions, please contact michelle.burger@llc.edu.

08.25.16

Advising/Counseling/Career Services hosting one-day conference; seeking presenters

The Advising/Counseling/Career Services office is hosting the Illinois Academic Advising Association (ILACADA) Fall Drive-In, a one-day conference on campus Sept. 23.  We are seeking staff willing to present a 45 min in to 50 min session on a topic of your choosing. These presentations should align with the theme of Hitting a Home Run: Helping Students Meet Their Educational Goals. The audience will consist of academic advisors and possible student services staff and administrators from across Illinois.

If you would like to submit a proposal, please contact contact Melissa Franzen, melissa.franzen@llcc.edu or 786-2228, by this Friday, Aug. 26.  This is a wonderful opportunity for novice and experienced presenters and those looking to broaden their professional development. The best presentation (evaluated and scored by attendees) will also receive a spot to present at next year’s ILACADA state conference.

03.22.16

Career networking opportunity for students

Please encourage all Accounting, Business Administration, Finance and Web Design majors to join us for a free employment initiative workshop and treats on Wednesday, March 30, 1-2 p.m., in the R. H. Stephens Room. This event is provided by the Illinois Department of Revenue, LLCC Advising, Counseling and Career Services, and Student Life.  Students will have the opportunity to:

  • gain valuable resources and tips on the Dept. of Revenue hiring process
  • find out about non-degree required State positions
  • learn how the State can pay for your education while you gain rich experience
  • take steps to successfully complete a CMS 100 application form

Students are required to bring a completed CMS 100 application to the event.
They can visit http://www.illinois.gov/sites/work/Documents/pdfs//app_cms100P.pdf  to print a copy, as well as stop by Student Life or Advising, Counseling & Career Services to pick-up a copy.

12.16.15

Assigned advising beginning for spring semester

Advising, Counseling, Career Services is making some improvements for spring semester! We have spent the fall transitioning to having assigned advisors for students. As we focus on the best way to serve our students, we feel this will allow advisors to form a stronger connection with their assigned students.

Advisors have been assigned by programs and special groups like honors students and athletes. By assigning students this way it allows the advisor to be the “expert” on their own programs. Advisors can also focus on how their programs transfer to other universities. The advisor will be the contact person in advising for their programs and will attend academic department meetings to stay current on program information. In addition, the advisor will send out personalized emails to their students throughout the semester.

We are encouraging students to make an appointment to see their assigned advisor each semester, but will continue to see walk-in students Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please feel free to send me any ideas or feedback as we take a giant step toward improving our services to students!

09.11.15

National Suicide Prevention Week; support services at LLCC

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week and the counselors here at LLCC want to remind you that we are here to help any student that is facing a stressful, emotional situation such as a family concern, trying to balance school and work obligations, depression, anxiety, etc. Licensed counselors are on staff and always available to talk to a student needing support.If you encounter a student that may need our help, please let the student know they can walk in to Advising, Counseling and Career Development Services or call us at 786-2224 to speak to a counselor by phone or make an appointment to meet with one of us.

Part of our role is to assist in crisis situations where a student may be having suicidal thoughts or even has a suicide plan. If the student is in crisis, you can call the Counselor’s Line at 6-9660 and you will be immediately connected with a counselor. If it is after 5 p.m. or on a weekend, please call the LLCC Emergency number 786-2222 and an officer will be dispatched to assist the student. Thank you for all you do for our students and, remember, we are here to help!

06.01.15

Career Development Services has moved!

The Career Development Services office has moved! We have merged with the Advising and Counseling office to become Advising, Counseling and Career Development Services. Our new location, including the career computer lab, is in the back hall of the Advising office. We continue to offer all of our career services including resume writing, mock interviews, career assessment and exploration, job shadowing, a database of job opportunities and the Cooperative Work Study Program. The telephone numbers are the same, you just come through the front door of advising to get to us. Stop by and see us in our new home!