Stephanie Krusell, Emi Ata’ata, Rae Luebbert, and Kathy Rank are all academic advisors at the University of Utah Salt Lake City campus. They work for various departments, but they all had one goal when they visited the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, South Korea this Spring: to work with their counterparts to create the best environment for students transitioning between both campuses.
Opened in 2014, The U Asia Campus offers a great avenue for all University of Utah students to gain an impactful international experience.
“We live in a global society that is evolving at a faster and faster pace all the time,” said Kathy Rank, the Director of Undergraduate Advising Services at the David Eccles School of Business. “The international experience, along with the top-notch education offered by the University of Utah, will help U students stand out and be distinctively marketable.”
The campus, just an hour from Seoul, offers general education courses and hosts nine majors, including Accounting, Communication, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Film and Media Arts, Games, Information Systems, Psychology, and Urban Ecology.
Students who enroll at the U Asia Campus will typically study in Incheon for three years, then travel to the Salt Lake City campus for a year to finish their degree. They receive the same diploma as the University of Utah students in the United States.
Salt Lake City campus students can also take classes at the U Asia Campus for up to two semesters. All courses are taught by U faculty in English.
In large part, it is U advisors who are best positioned to ensure a smooth transition for all students as they move between the two campuses and their vastly different cultural contexts.
Academic advisors empower students on their path toward degree attainment. They help students create their course schedules, plan toward graduation, connect students with resources, and have discussions about their experiences and connectedness to their majors.
Usually, Salt Lake City campus advisors meet with U Asia Campus students during their senior year, when they are already in Utah and preparing for their graduation, but the recent trip gave this group of advisors a preview of the students they’ll soon see in Utah.
Ata’ata, an Academic Success Advisor at the College of Architecture + Planning, said that meeting with students before the transition allowed her to evaluate gaps that exist in her current practice of advising U Asia Campus students.
“Providing time and space for students before they come to Utah helped me gain immense insight into the experience of our students,” said Ata’ata. “To be an academic advisor in the world today requires an open mind and consistent re-evaluation of the experiences and challenges that students encounter in their educational pathway. I feel that this experience has broadened my perspective as well as challenged my current way of advising.”
Krussel, a Senior Academic Advisor for the Department of Communication, even got a chance to attend one of the classes to meet with the students and talk about the SLC campus.
“Knowing where they are coming from, how things work, and making these connections with the team in Korea will help me better understand the students’ needs and behavior,” said Krussel.
“Together, we worked on proactive advising techniques, intentional communication with students, and strategies to help students segue between both global locations,” said Luebbert, an Academic Advisor at the College of Fine Arts. “Overall, the trip was a wonderful opportunity to build partnerships with faculty, staff, and students.”
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Learn more about the U Asia Campus.
Current U Salt Lake City campus student? Here’s how you can attend!