Co-Advising
Helping you navigate resources
Our goal as your assigned co-advisor is to connect you to the people, ideas and services you need to succeed: sometimes that means providing you with new tools and strategies to help you study smart and excel academically. We’re also happy to connect students to the network of college and community resources to help you balance life outside of class. Whether it’s tutoring for Math, putting food on the table between paychecks, finally conquering procrastination, or finding clothes for your first real job interview, we’re 100% committed to empowering you to succeed at Bay and Beyond.
Bay College Co-Advisors
Hi, I am the Go-To-Person here on Escanaba’s campus for all the Student-Athletes and Technology Division students. When I’m not working I like to be outdoors biking, camping and playing any sports I’m still able to! The best advice I can give to our new students is to Show up! Show up to class, appointments and any college fun activities like clubs, athletic events and school events.
Hi! My name is Sarah and I work with students on the West Campus in a variety of roles. You might come see me if you are a Business or Technology major, a TRIO student, or someone who is looking for a little extra help with one or more of your classes. I'm inspired by students. I enjoy hearing about your successes and I want to help you problem solve challenges. My advice to students is to take the risk to meet new people and build your people network - you never know who will provide you with a connection or idea that will catapult you into the next era of your life.
As the TRIO-SSS Assistant Director and Co-advisor, I work with students from every major and degree at Bay (including transfer-bound students), but there is one common thread that ties them together—they are TRIO-eligible. TRIO-eligible students are first-generation (neither parent has graduated with a bachelor’s degree), income-eligible (likely receiving PELL/TIP), and disabled students at our college.
In my spare time, I love traveling with my husband and daughter, practicing yoga and running, enjoying the peace of the outdoors, and snuggling with my Pitbull puppies.
My best tip for new students is to take time to build positive relationships with others outside of the classroom—the connections you make through study groups, service, volunteering, college extracurriculars, and conversations with peers, staff, and faculty are just as important as the material you learn in your courses.
I am Deanna. I help Escanaba and Iron Mountain students interested in Allied Health. Most people know Allied Health as Nursing, but we have more degrees, like Certified Medical Assistant, EMT, MRIT and Paramedic. Allied health program are competitive entry, and I work one on one with students to create your success plan. I am a mom of three grown children; One is a hair stylist/business owner, one education college student, and one water tech college student. I am a mom of a fur baby, William, a really cute Aussiedoodle. Fun fact about me I love baseball. My quick tip to you is be adaptable and willing to ask questions.
I work with Liberal Arts, Social Science and Math and Science Students to schedule classes, answer questions and help introduce them to their academic advisors and all the other helpful people on campus. When I’m not at work, I love exploring the UP, cooking for friends, and I’m learning to play the ukulele. My favorite tip is build a support team for your life as a student. Find the people who will encourage you to get your work done, help you cover work and home obligations and remind you that YOU and YOUR GOALS matter.
I am located over on the Bay College West Campus and serve students pursuing degrees from the Arts and Letters, Math and Science, and Social Behavioral Science areas. I am working to embrace the changing seasons, whether that be snowshoeing or attempting to learn curling in the winter or hiking in the Fall. Much like life in general, you have to make the most of the elements. One big piece of advice I would give would be to always ask questions. Whether it be about your schedule, your degree path, resources available to you, financial aid, and so on, you will never know how the answers to those questions may have an impact on your outlook for both that immediate moment and in the bigger picture that is pulling everything together.
Plan for Success
New College Responsibilities
- Select your courses
- Choose your schedule
- Send your transcripts
- Check on bills from college
- Buy your textbooks
- Meet with your instructors
- Seek help if you’re struggling
- Read the “Fine print”
- Keep track of important dates and deadline
- Let your instructor know if you’re sick, going to be absent, missed an assignment, don’t understand an assignment, think they’ve made a mistake, or have car trouble
- Read every class syllabus
- Log into your college email every day
- Be aware of where to turn in homework (online, in person, or email)
Essential College Vocabulary
- Syllabus - A multiple page document that your instructor gives you at the beginning of the semester; includes details about due dates, projects, and course requirements.
- College Catalog - A booklet that is updated every year to reflect program requirements, course sequences, and degree requirements.
- Add/Drop Date - The last day you can add or drop a course from your schedule.
- Withdrawal Deadline: The last day you can withdraw from a course with a “W” on your transcript.
- Registration - The process of picking your courses for the next semester and signing up for them.
- Academic Calendar - Calendar published by the college including important dates such as holidays, breaks, beginning and end of semesters, tuition deadlines, etc.
- Transcript - A record of all the classes you’ve taken. Can have multiple transcripts if you’ve attended multiple schools. If you transfer, you’ll send your transcript to the new university.
- Hybrid Course - A course that takes place partially online and partially on-campus.
- Blackboard - A portal where you engage with your online classes.
- MyBay - Your info source for all things Bay, including registration, course search, accessing transcripts, etc.
- Academic Advisor - An instructor in your degree program who tells you what classes you need to take to complete your degree.
- Credits - What is a credit? Why does it matter? Determines the weight of a course. Typically, courses range between 3-4 credits. Full time = 12 credits or more. Important for financial aid!
- General Education Requirements - A set of courses that are completed within most, if not all, degree programs.
- Degree Requirements - A specific set of courses for your intended major.
Summer Session Tips
The Summer Sessions are Short, that means everything happens more quickly. Sometimes, because we work here, we forget to let our new students know what this means. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Be aware of the add/drop window. There are only a few days to drop a class.
- Participate right away so that you are not dropped for non-attendance.
- If your class is online and you are trying this for the first time, watch your MyBay email for an invitation from our Online learning office to take their orientation. You must complete the orientation before you can have access to your courses. Sometimes it can take up to 24 hours for you to get that access. Try to get the online learning orientation done early so you are ready to go on the first day.
- These classes are going to fly by. It’s always a good idea to go through the syllabus and write down exam and assignment due dates, but it’s even more important to get these down on a check off list where they are easy to see in the summer. And nothing feels better than checking them off!
- If you run into a roadblock during the class—like car trouble or losing WiFi or illness, please let your instructor know right away. They will do what they can to help, but they need you to communicate to tell them what’s up.
- There is free tutoring available for many classes. If you are tackling a subject that you know is always difficult for you (mine is math), Please think about getting this kind of help right away—it will help you stay on task.
- You may have a team of people who know you are going to school on top of all the other responsibilities you have. Make sure they know you will be working twice as hard for a few weeks, and don’t be afraid to ask them for help or support when you get into a time crunch. If you don’t’ have that team—now’s the time to get them on board to support you—friends, parents, children, co-workers and partners will feel like your success is theirs too once you’ve made it through your courses.
- And don’t’ forget us—your co-advisors and the staff at Bay College—Please feel free to reach out to chat or ask questions or just to vent, any time. We want to see you succeed and we know it’s hard work that makes that happen. We’re here if you need us!
Reverse Transfer
Reverse transfer is a process where credits earned at the four-year college or university after transferring from Bay College are transferred back to Bay College to determine if you are eligible for an associate degree. Transfer students may indicate their interest in reverse transfer by contacting registration_FROM_BAY_COLLEGE, and by having an official transcript sent from their four-year college or university to Bay College. Bay College will evaluate the coursework to determine if Bay College degree requirements are met and if a degree will be awarded. Any Bay College degree or other credential will be awarded in the semester or year all final requirements are met.