The Advising Success Center team works individually with students helping them to find their place at Bemidji State University and make the most of their experiences. We provide coordination of the new student advising and registration portion of the Academic Advising and Registration days. We also coordinate academic advising at Bemidji State University which includes making advisor assignments a
nd processing advisor change requests. We also provide supplemental advising to students conditionally admitted, and those placed on academic warning and academic probation, by developing academic success plans and providing information and referrals for students to ensure academic success. In addition, we coordinate peer tutoring and peer advising opportunities for students, the First Year Experience program and New and Transfer Student Orientation. Advising
The Advising Success Center supports primary academic advisors by providing comprehensive information to students who seek additional services and information. Student consultations are by appointment but all students are welcome to stop in or may contact us any time. Our Staff
Zachary Johnson, Director
As Director in the Advising Success Center I value the opportunity that I have to work with students and share in their academic achievements and witness their development as a successful college student. I believe every individual has unique talents and has the right to continually develop them through study and practice. As higher education professionals our job is to provide access and opportunity for such growth and success. This requires the highest calling of integrity, service and cooperation. My own student development began at Oak Hills Christian College where I faced my own academic challenges. With the appropriate assistance I was able to overcome my challenges and earned my Associate in Arts degree. I then transferred here, to Bemidji State University, where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. I continued at BSU as a graduate student, earning a Master in Science degree in Counseling Psychology in 2010. I have learned that advising students is much like parenting my own children; as soon as I understand my children's current stage of development, they go and develop further leaving me one step behind. And so, as with parenting, while it is important to keep them from making mistakes, also it is important to support them when they do. Thanks for visiting. Stop by anytime. Jacqueline Dotson, Retention Counselor
I have recently been given the opportunity to be Interim Retention Counselor in the Advising Success Center. Prior to this position, I was one of the Graduate Assistants in the ASC. I have enjoyed working with students since I began in August 2008, and am happy to have been able to expand my role this year. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the College of St. Scholastica in May 2008. The following fall, I started my Master of Science in Counseling Psychology at Bemidji State University. This past fall I started taking chemical dependency classes, in addition to my counseling psychology classes. In the chemical dependency world, some individuals attend treatment programs seven different times before they are sober. In academics, sometimes, it takes more than one semester for a student to get back up on his/her feet. I’m here to help advise and support students on their college journey.
