By Kayla Dunlevy
Not all students are prepared to manage the many challenges that college students face, such as handling stress or achieving a balance between work, school and family. Some students need help with concentration and study skills. Others may need direction and assistance with career options.
To address and combat some of these common issues, counselors in the office of student life and wellness have created a program that offers a series of workshops designed to help a diverse student body.
The Jaguar Academic Guide for Success (JAGS) program is open to all students and offers guidance in a number of topics: time management, note taking, test anxiety and other specific areas of concern.
Counselor Kathleen Frank said the program is a counseling service because the reasoning behind student struggles stem from personal concerns and priority issues.
Currently, Frank is in charge of organizing the program. She said she hopes to add a graduate assistant to help assist her in initiating follow up with students.
Students who are interested in the program are encouraged to contact Frank. She said she can provide assessments that determine specific areas such as Myers Briggs Type indicator, a personality indicator, The Learning and Study Strategies inventory, which helps determine learning strategies, and Student Behavior Needs Assessment, which was developed by A&M-San Antonio counselors to determine individual needs.
After completing the assessments, students can make a one-on-one appointment with Frank to discuss the results, create an individualized plan and decide which workshops would be most beneficial.
On average, three to four students attend the JAGS workshops. Frank said she has received great feedback from students who have attended.
“The program is a reality check for some students. They’re able to recognize the reasoning behind their academic or personal struggles,” Frank said.
The program was first developed in the summer of 2012 for students who were on academic probation. Counselors reached out to students to help motivate success and aid in academic and social struggles. Counselors provided assessments, curriculum and workshops as a holistic approach to pinpoint what skills the students needed to improve.
The program was opened to all students this semester to offer more students resources for success.
JAGS Schedule
Maintaining Focus and Concentration | Information Processing:
Oct. 26 — 3 p.m. in Room 238 of Main Campus
Study Skills: Organization, Note taking, Finding Main Ideas | Preparing for an Exam:
Oct. 29 — 10 a.m. in Room 306 of Main Campus
Oct. 30 — 4 p.m. in Room 238 of Main Campus
Nov. 1 — 5:30 p.m. in Room 145 of Brooks Campus
Technology Concerns – Blackboard, E-book, Library/Research (90 Minute Workshop):
Nov. 6 — 4 p.m. in Room 238 of Main Campus
Nov. 8 — 5:30 p.m. in Room 145 of Brooks Campus
Feeling Unmotivated or Tired of School? Confused with Your Career Decisions?
Nov. 12 — 10 a.m. in Room 306 of Main Campus
Nov. 13 — 4 p.m. in Room 238 of Main Campus
Nov. 15 — 5:30 p.m. in Room 145 of Brooks Campus
Juggling Family, Work and/or School? Share and Collaborate with Fellow Classmates:
Nov. 20 — 4 p.m. in Room 238 of Main Campus
For more information contact Kathleen Frank at 210-784-1338 or email her at Kathleen.Frank@tamusa.tamu.edu.
