Personalized Support
Behind every student—whether undergraduate, graduate, online, or non-traditional—is a village of faculty and staff who guide them through the college experience to find their passion and purpose. Many of these individuals are behind the scenes, but their efforts are, for many students, transformative by setting a path for success.
For more than two decades, up to her retirement in June 2024, Dr. Seonmi Lee, MA ’89 PhD ’97, a dedicated academic advisor, played a pivotal role in shaping the academic journeys and personal growth of countless students. Initially a teaching professor within the Department of English, Dr. Lee discovered that her passion lay more with advising students one-on-one rather than in the classroom.
Specializing in first-year advising, she consistently focused on those students—around 250-400 per semester—helping them navigate the transition from high school to college. Her enthusiasm for guiding first-year students was rooted in witnessing their excitement as they embarked on their college careers.
“I’ve loved advising first-year students. It was so good to see the excitement they bring from high school to college,” Dr. Lee said. “They have the potential to become anything at that point, and I like that.”
She emphasized goal-setting exercises and encouraged students to establish long-term, yearly, monthly, and daily objectives to ensure they stayed on track academically and personally. She closely monitored students’ progress, celebrated their achievements, and helped them devise new strategies if they fell short of their goals.
One of her standout practices was sending personalized birthday emails to each of her advisees. While this might seem like a small gesture, it significantly strengthened her connection with students, making them feel valued and remembered. This personalized approach was also incorporated into her work with at-risk students on academic probation. By encouraging daily study logs and regular goal setting, she helped many students regain their academic footing.
One highlight of Dr. Lee’s career was when a student presented her with a picture of Shafer Tower she had painted to thank her for her guidance through a challenging semester.
Dr. Lee’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. In Spring 2024, she was presented with the “Success Champion” award, a testament to her impact on students’ lives. The nomination highlighted her kindness, masterful advising skills, and ability to celebrate students’ successes. Her detailed advising notes ensured continuity of care.
“I tried to make a personal connection with every student,” said Dr. Lee. “Sometimes it was a lot, but it was so rewarding.”
Ensuring Success Beyond Campus Borders
Dr. Lee’s dedication to student success exemplifies the broader commitment of Ball State faculty and staff that extends beyond traditional classrooms to support online learners through innovative methods.
Accordingly, online students work with student success specialists like Mandy Lowe, ’01 MA ’19, to achieve their academic goals.
Student success specialists not only advise hundreds of students per semester, but also recruit and follow them through their academic journeys. Ms. Lowe advises 12 graduate programs, including certificate and licensure programs within the Division of Online and Strategic Learning. She and her team each oversee more than 500 students per semester.
One of the programs in Ms. Lowe’s purview is the Applied Behavioral Analysis program (ABA) with an emphasis on Autism. Currently, Ball State has the largest ABA program in the country. Since Ms. Lowe is a primary contact for these distance students, she has to be able to field questions about financial aid and course requirements, including technical problems with testing and registration.
Because Ms. Lowe’s advisees are distance-learning students, most of whom do not come to campus, it’s important to her to ensure they feel supported and have a connection with the University. One way she has done that is by creating videos for her students, showing them Shafer Tower, the Beneficence statue, or other points of interest on campus.
“It’s kind of cheesy sometimes, I suppose, but I love our campus,” Ms. Lowe said. “It’s just beautiful, and I think it helps our distance students have a sense of place.
“Ball State honestly cares about you, and we want you to do well in your program and succeed’,” she continued, explaining her intended message to her advisees. “It’s important to me for them to know that they are not out there alone, even if we never get to meet in person.”
“I’ve loved advising first-year students. They have the potential to become anything at that point, and I like that.”-Dr. Seonmi Lee, MA’89 PhD’97Supporting Student Veterans at Ball State
Katharine Herbert, ’13 MA ’15 MA ’19 EDD ’19, started her career at Ball State in 2008 as a receptionist in the Graduate School. As she pursued her own degrees, she progressed into higher positions, each offering new challenges and opportunities. In 2012, she became the administrative coordinator in the Department of Chemistry.
By 2016, she was one of the first upper division advisors when the University transitioned from faculty as the primary advisors to the advising model that exists today, with professional staff in those roles. In 2019, she was appointed the first academic advisor for the newly created Transfer Center. Two years later, she returned to University College for a year as a senior advisor. In 2022, she proudly took on the role of staff advisor for the Ball State Chapter of Student Veterans of America as it became a recognized University organization.
She is now the assistant director of Veterans Affairs for Ball State Financial Aid, bringing her experience as a United States Air Force veteran to the table.
“The goal of supporting students motivated me to persevere in my own academic and career journey,” Dr. Herbert said.
Throughout her various roles, Dr. Herbert has had the privilege of working closely with students on their academic paths and collaborating with faculty across different departments. This interaction has been rewarding and enlightening, allowing her to support students in numerous ways.
Some of her most memorable experiences were with non-traditional students or those with “role strain” and outside responsibilities—like putting themselves through school while caring for family members, working full-time, or other demands. She’s also been inspiring to students facing challenging situations, including disappointments within competitive majors or having to persevere through illness. As she has helped students navigate alternate pathways to success, their resilience has inspired Dr. Herbert.
“I feel a great sense of connection as a non-traditional working student, especially in my role, as I assist parents in navigating systems of education and Veterans Affairs,” she said. “My joy comes from supporting students.”
