Advising at Penn State

Advisers are in a key position to refer students to others who can help. Advisers should be observant for signs that a resource may be helpful to a student but should refrain from positing diagnoses or overstepping into counseling roles.

Academic Resources

1. DUSuccess - A compilation of resources that help a variety of common challenges including academic skills, feeling stressed out, financial difficulties, and help with direction and goals.
2. Learning centers provide tutoring and other learning support services to students free of charge
   • Learning centers at campuses
   • Penn State Learning at University Park
3. Student disability resource offices coordinate support services and reasonable academic accommodations to ensure equal access for students with disabilities.
   • Student disability resources at campuses
   • Student disability resources at University Park

Medical and Behavioral Resources

1. Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) can help students resolve personal concerns that may interfere with academic progress, social development, and satisfaction at Penn State.
2. Health services provides specialized outpatient student health services.
3. Student Care & Advocacy coordinates help for students who have experienced an event such as hospitalization, medical emergencies or long-term illness, mental health concerns, chronic conditions, death of an immediate family member, food insecurity, housing insecurity, natural disasters, academic distress, or unexpected events or challenges.

Financial Resources

1. Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center provides resources to help students make informed decisions regarding their money management.
2. Office of the Bursar is responsible for maintaining student accounts pertaining to tuition billing, acceptance fees, charges, payments, posting of financial aid, and refunds of excess funds, when available.
3. Office of Student Aid coordinates financial aid and monitors student satisfactory academic performance for students receiving financial aid.

Engagement Resources

1. Career Services assists students and alumni in specifying career goals, expanding knowledge of career alternatives, understanding effective decision making, and acquiring appropriate strategies and skills to carry out the process.
2. Global Programs Education Abroad helps students explore and plan for a study abroad experience.
3. Student Clubs and Organizations help students get connected, build skills, and pursue an interest.
4. Student Engagement Network serves as a clearing house to connect students with a wide variety of experiences.
5. Undergraduate Research helps connect students to active learning in the laboratory, library, studio, and field.
6. University Fellowships Office helps academically strong students find and apply for relevant fellowships.