March 29, 2024

Students will be scheduling their spring classes this week after meeting with their advisors the week prior as a part of the Wittenberg Commitment.
The Wittenberg Commitment is a four-year guarantee that students will graduate from Wittenberg after being transitioned properly into their first year of college, challenged both inside and outside of the classroom, and by receiving quality advising which prepares them for the real world.
Advising week is a key part of this commitment which states on Wittenberg’s website, “We promise to work as hard as you – so that you can be out in the world after four years ready for your future.”
Megan Bobbitt, a senior marketing major with communication and political science minors, believes advising weeks are so helpful because they highlight the Wittenberg Commitment.
“I think it’s beneficial because professors have the larger scope and know how to make sure you get everything done in four years and you can graduate on time,” Bobbitt said.
During the spring of her sophomore year, Bobbitt studied abroad in Wittenberg, Germany. She also had four different internships since her freshman year, and credits her professors for making these things possible.
“I’ve been really lucky to have good advisors who have helped me map out my four years early,” Bobbitt said. “It’s a unique opportunity to have a professor willing to talk about your future and life plans.”
As this is her last time scheduling classes at Wittenberg, Bobbitt leaves students who have many advising weeks to come with some advice.
“Don’t stress out if you don’t get your classes you want – classes fill up,” she said. “Try to find things that will work for a general-ed or majors and minors. It will work out.”
While advising week seems to be a stressful time for students, professors like Wendy Gradwohl, see it more as a chance to catch up with students and spend quality time with them.
“I would say I think most professors see it as an opportunity not to just help them pick out their classes, but also find out what their future goals are – whether that be grad school, a job after graduation, etcetera,” Gradwohl said.
As the chair of the business department, she stressed how business professors especially focus on the vocation piece more so than academics by making 30-minute appointments with their advisees rather than quicker 20-minute sessions. The department has a lot of advisees, so advising week is usually a two-week process.
Advising week allows students to take ownership of their own education, brainstorm about their future and how they want to go about achieving success during their time at Wittenberg. Luckily, the institution’s committed professors will always be there to help out with getting those students where they want to be.

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