With only two students attending the Counseling Center‘s Academic Workshop: Choosing A Career and Major, in the Sundance Court meeting room on Feb. 15, almost all of the 40 available seats stayed empty during the event.  

 “It takes a lot for students to come to something extra when they are already busy with school and work and their lives,” Lori Arnold, counselor and workshop presenter, said. “Part of this has to do with the fact that they haven’t had many tests yet, so they aren’t as concerned with their grades. Sometimes students need a little nudge to come to these workshops.”

The Counseling Center began offering the academic workshops in fall 2010 to help improve students’ performances in the classroom. 

Vikki Chaviers, counselor and workshop organizer, said attendance fluctuates greatly. The fall semester usually has higher attendance because the spring is usually a busy time for students.

According to Arnold, this workshop focused on finding the right career and major because it is important for students to be happy in their future endeavors.

“I talk to so many students who change their major several times and that’s very common. But the more times they change their major, means more time and money spent. The sooner the student can decide what major is right for them, the better,” Arnold said.

The workshop discussed the process of choosing a career and major and the steps to discovering if that path is correct for each student. 

Qianying He, biology senior, said she enjoyed the low turnout because it created a more open environment for her to communicate and learn. 

The Counseling Center offered three other workshops to benefit students on Feb. 13, 14 and 16: Time Management and Organization, Four Steps to a 4.0 and Taming Test Anxiety. 

Chaviers said the workshops show students all the different issues the Counseling Center can help students overcome.

“We do all sorts of personal issue counseling and academic counseling, which includes study skills, test anxiety, and time management. We also do career counseling,” Chaviers said.