FRED
Over the past 50 years, Hamilton has built a coordinated system of advising to support students in every aspect of their educational experience. From writing to speaking, exploring new cultures, and giving back to others, Hamilton mentors our students in myriad ways outside the classroom, enabling them to build lives that embrace “meaning, purpose, and active citizenship” — everything we hope for our leaders of tomorrow.
MISSION
The community of professionals in ALEX works with faculty and staff across campus to ensure all students thrive at Hamilton. Cross-campus partnerships allow for a comprehensive and collaborative team to provide advising, academic support, and experiential and global learning for all.
• ALEX Advisors
• Health Professions
• Opportunity Programs
• Student Fellowships
• Language Center
• Oral Communication Center
• Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning Center
• Writing Center
• Community Outreach
• Global Learning
• Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
• Experiential Learning
ARTHUR LEVITT PUBLIC AFFAIRS CENTER (LEVITT CENTER) 1969
HEALTH PROFESSIONS ADVISING
ORAL COMMUNICATION CENTER (OCC) 1980
LANGUAGE CENTER
WRITING CENTER (WC) 1982
QUANTITATIVE & SYMBOLIC REASONING CENTER (QSR) 1987
FELLOWSHIP ADVISING 1990
OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS (OP) 2021
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING 1980
ALEX ADVISORS 1998
COMMUNITY OUTREACH & OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (COOP)
GLOBAL LEARNING
ALEX INITIATIVE
Advise
ALEX PROGRAM
Hamilton invests in student success by providing three advisors: faculty, career, and ALEX. Over the course of their time at Hamilton, students meet multiple advisors who will mentor them in specific areas.
• ALEX Advising
• Health Professions Advising
• Fellowship Office
• Opportunity Programs Advising
Anna Duarte ’26
“ The ALEX advising team is a very important part, for me, of this Hamilton campus. I feel like I can trust my ALEX advisor with anything and she always finds a solution for any of my questions. I have gone to my ALEX advisor multiple times over my past two years here and always leave feeling more secure about my track.”
ADVISE TEAM
Aaron Ray Director of Opportunity Programs
Courtney Hance Director of Health Professions Advising
Kevin Alexander ’13 ALEX Advisor
Logan Lyons ALEX Advisor
Noelle Niznik Director of ALEX Advising
Lisa Grimes Student Fellowship Coordinator
Hannah Stubley ’12 ALEX Advisor
Carly Martin ALEX Advisor
Brenda C. Davis Associate Director of Opportunity Programs
Bette Ecklund Educational and Supportive Services Coordinator of Opportunity Programs
Melissa Law-Penrose ALEX Advisor
Nicolette Lamascola Opportunity Programs Office Support
SUPPORTING STUDENTS THROUGH ADVISING — A Deeper Dive
ALEX ADVISING
ALEX Advisors employ their specialized knowledge in Appreciative Advising to assist students in honing skills to tackle challenges. They also promote collaborations across campus to link students with resources, aiding them in navigating academic and social transitions throughout their time at Hamilton.
HEALTH PROFESSIONS ADVISING
Health Professions Advising strategizes with and supports students in their pursuit of professional programs in the demanding academic and collegiate environment through 1:1 advising and collaborative programming.
THE FELLOWSHIP OFFICE
The Fellowship Office works with current students of all years and recent alumni to identify nationally and internationally competitive opportunities that match their goals, and provides support in the application process through individual advising, group workshops, and interview preparation.
OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS ADVISING
Opportunity Programs Advising takes a student-centered approach to academic and psychosocial support that serves the student holistically. Guided by evidencebased approaches to assessment, intervention, and attention to outcome data, OP staff meet students where they are and develop strategies based on the individual student’s strengths and needs.
ALEX Advising
What
do students talk about with their ALEX advisors?
Derived from Compass Speednotes
REFLECTION & CONNECTING THE DOTS
CONNECTIONS TO CAMPUS PARTNERS
• Experiental Learning
• Global Learning
20%
33%
43%
SKILL FACILITATION
• Goal Setting
• Time Management
• Academic & Social Adjustment
Percent of Class Engaged to Date
Fellowship Office
Student and alumni visits to discuss goals and related fellowship opportunities
Applications submitted by individuals mentored through the process
Hamilton’s second
since 2008
Student Fellowships is administering a new award for international summer research Spring ’24
Health Professions
Advising
Students and alumni advised through the medical and dental school application process which resulted in 27 completed applications and 22 acceptances
Opportunity Programs
Class of 2026 pre-health students advised in 2022-23 academic year
Small group information sessions for prospective Fulbright candidates
Collaborated with colleagues in Global Learning to offer workshops for the Gilman, Critical Language, Boren, and Freeman Asia Scholarships
First and second year pre-health students created four-year plans
Successfully launched a tutoring partnership with the QSR and the WC, leading to 1,678 hours of tutoring contact for students in OP
Learn
ALEX PROGRAM
Students have access to a wide range of supportive on-campus resources and people as they explore their passions through the open curriculum and Hamilton's rigorous academic program.
• Writing Center
• Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning Center
• Oral Communication Center
• Language Center
Ashley Beck ’26
“Kevin Alexander from the ALEX program, Zack Schuman from the Levitt Center, and Amy Gaffney from the OCC have all had a really meaningful impact on me and my Hamilton experience. All three of them have really taken the time to listen to my personal and professional struggles. They have offered so many helpful resources, advice, and opportunities that have genuinely helped me in so many ways.”
LEARN TEAM
Jennifer Ambrose Director of the NesbittJohnston Writing Center
Jessica Kelly Director of the Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning Center
Corrin Rosenstein Office Assistant of the Oral Communication Center
Matt Hanrahan Office Assistant of the Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center
Amy Gaffney Director of the Oral Communication Center
Laura Widman Assistant Director of the Writing Center and Multilingual Specialist
Riley Spellman Office Assistant of the Writing Center
Meredith Wilf Social Science Empirical Research Specialist
Mary Beth Helderle Director of Critical Language Program and Language Center
Rachel Martinie Language Center Coordinator and ALEX Technologist
Arshiya Arora Writing Center Fellow for Academic Belonging
SUPPORTING STUDENTS'
FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS
WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center provides a recurring tutoring program to support ongoing development in writing while building student confidence and academic belonging.
QUANTITATIVE & SYMBOLIC REASONING CENTER
The Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning Center offers tutoring in a variety of modalities in an effort to best meet the needs of all Hamilton students. These collaborative learning models have yielded a dramatic increase in usage.
ORAL COMMUNICATION CENTER
The Oral Communication Center aims to develop students' abilities to express themselves with clarity and eloquence. Most recently, the center has added new programming supporting students speaking outside of the classroom for conference presentations.
LANGUAGE CENTER
The Language Center supports teaching and learning of languages by providing pedagogical and instructional technology support informed by current language acquisition theory and best practices. Most recently the center launched Curriculum Embedded Conversation Groups and was awarded a LITS [Library & IT Services] AI Microgrant in collaboration with language faculty.
Academic Resource Centers
1,587
Total students served through tutoring
Unique students supported at Resource Centers
1,179 721 655 61
Oral Communication Center
Writing Center
Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning Center
Language Center
Peer Tutors
Self-Identify as Multilingual 48%
Research
Research corroborates the relationship between selfconfidence in ability and academic outcomes. In fall 2022, the ARC (Academic Resource Centers) directors developed a system to collect student confidence data before and after each tutoring appointment. The data are tied to student demographic and appointment information, such as course level. This ongoing data collection helps us to understand the student experience of learning; we use it to adapt our tutoring models to better serve our community of learners and allow them to achieve their personal visions of academic success.
Cross-Campus Collaborations
The WC, QSR, and OP offices created a fellow for academic belonging position, which helps to maintain structures that support sustainable recurring tutoring models.
The OCC collaborated with the Levitt Center and the Office of Experiential Learning to support students’ public presentations culminating from students’ research grants.
The multilingual specialist supports students through direct tutoring, outreach, and program development involving all Academic Resource Centers, International Student Services, the Days-Massolo Center, and student input.
Gabi De Mendonca Gomes ’25
“ Tutoring at the Writing Center and OCC has not just allowed me to get to know a broader range of students in the Hamilton community but also infused me with a deep appreciation for the process of individualized teaching and learning that I can provide as a peer tutor. I’ve become more empathetic, a better and more caring listener, and a stronger communicator of knowledge. I appreciate every opportunity I have to interact with other students.”
Experience
ALEX PROGRAM
Students can apply their learning through various programs and opportunities designed to enhance their knowledge and skills.
• Community Outreach and Opportunity Project
• Experiential Learning
• Global Learning
• Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
Natalie Peng ’26
“My ALEX advisor is one of my most used advisors. I meet with Noelle 2-3 times a semester to have update meetings and share my ambitions and goals. This is important to me because it keeps me accountable for my future endeavors. She is able to provide me with feedback and resources to guide me in the right direction which is always appreciated.”
EXPERIENCE TEAM
Carolyn North Assistant Dean of Global Learning
Amy James Director of the Community Outreach and Opportunity Project
Zachary Schuman Assistant Director of Community Based Learning at the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
Rachael Clark Programming Coordinator of the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
Maddie Carrera Director of Experiential Learning
Madeleine LaCotera Assistant Director of Global Learning
Taylor Burdette Study Abroad Advisor & Senior Coordinator of the Hamilton in France Program
Wanda Fuess Academic Office Assistant of Global Learning and Mathematics
Chris Willemsen Administrative Director of the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
Yin Zhang Administrative Director of Asia Study Abroad
Kelsey Gillett Study Abroad Advisor & Senior Coordinator of the Hamilton in Spain Program
Christina Strong Office Assistant of the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN EXPERIENTAL LEARNING
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND OPPORTUNITY PROJECT (COOP)
Students participating in the Community Outreach and Opportunity Project explore a variety of programs focused on education, poverty, local refugee populations, and discussions with faculty, invited speakers, and alumni.
OFFICE
OF EXPERIENTAL LEARNINIG
The Office of Experiential Learning supports field trips, U.S.-based study away, the Emerson Foundation undergraduate research program, and the semester programs in New York City and Washington, D.C.
OFFICE OF GLOBAL LEARNING
The Office of Global Learning promotes and supports study abroad, international research, international field trips, and related international academic activities for our students.
ARTHUR LEVITT PUBLIC AFFAIRS CENTER
At the Levitt Center, students combine academic knowledge with practical skills to engage in public affairs through research, field studies, community-engaged classes, lectures, discussions, labs, and internships.
Students participated in COOP-sponsored activities 360 Community Programs
18
Global Learning
Percent of students engaged by year
68%
Class of 2024
75%
46%
Class of 2025
Class of 2026
Experiential Learning
1,262
Students went on field trips
Summer ’23 Emerson Foundation research students 19
47
Students in NYC and D.C. semester programs
Levitt Center
197 Participated in Levitt-supported courses and programs Faculty 50
Students
ALEX advisors collaborated with colleagues in Experiential Learning and Global Learning to offer weekly joint advising drop-in meetings for any off-campusbound students before applying
THE LEVITT CENTER SUPPORTS 15 PROGRAMS IN
• Engaged Citizenship
• Public Philosophy
• Public Scholarship
• Social Innovation
• Transformational Leadership
328
Students studied off campus for at least a semester
Edwin Mensah-Boateng ’25
“When it comes to the Opportunity Programs, I can only think of the amount of support and guidance that I have been fortunate to receive from all of the members involved. Whether it is Aaron Ray as my OP advisor, or it is Brenda Davis and Bette Ecklund giving me advice when I run into an issue, all I can think about is how willing and enthusiastic they were to assist me through a tough semester, some woes about college, or celebrate my successes and triumphs.”
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