VIDEO: Helping students choose the right major

Kyle Braun of Academic & Career Exploration talks about services available to UND community

Editor’s note: In the UND LEADS Strategic Plan, the Equity core value calls on the University to “invest in support services with the aim of boosting retention and degree completion.” This installment of UND President Andy Armacost’s biweekly video centers on the University’s ongoing effort to “help students choose majors and discover career paths that align with their interests and aspirations,” as the story below puts it.

This story originally appeared in UND Today on Sept. 16.

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GRAND FORKS, Sept. 16 — For this week’s video address, President Andrew Armacost wishes everyone a Happy Homecoming Week and meets with Kyle Braun, coordinator of Academic & Career Exploration at UND.

Braun and his team, located in McCannel Hall, blend career support with academic advising to help students choose majors and discover career paths that align with their interests and aspirations.

Braun says one-on-one appointments held with students are effective in helping them find a major in which they thrive and that they eventually complete. The Office of Academic & Career Exploration is also open to prospective students and alumni.

He says that more than 2,500 students have used a platform called PathwayU, which takes a person’s personality assessment to offer recommendations on majors and potential careers.

On Oct. 21, UND is again hosting the Major-Minor+Grad Fair at the Memorial Union. Students attending the fair can speak with representatives from departments and specific programs to explore majors, minors, certificates and graduate opportunities.

Last year, more than 760 students met with 100-plus members of the faculty, Braun says.

To learn more about Academic & Career Exploration, students can schedule an appointment through Hawk Central or drop in at McCannel 280, or in the Experiential Learning Center in McCannel 190. All are also welcome to reach the office for more information at UND.exploration@UND.edu.

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>> Questions or comments about the UND LEADS Strategic Plan? Your thoughts are welcome! Please contact Ryan Zerr, associate vice president for Strategy & Implementation, or Anna Marie Kinney, coordinator of the University Writing Program, the co-chairs of the UND LEADS Implementation Committee. You also may offer your thoughts by visiting the UND LEADS Strategic Plan home page and clicking on the “Provide your feedback” link.

Thank you for your support of the UND LEADS Strategic Plan!