Advisor Spotlight: Meet biological sciences advisor Rebecca Russell

Biological sciences advisor Rebecca Russell says she loves getting to know her students and hear about their experiences being a CLAS student at Wayne State University. Russell says that being an advisor and helping students is rewarding because of the student's outcome post-graduation.  

What was your undergraduate major? 

I majored in sociology with a minor in psychology at Eastern Michigan University.  

If your degree is in the liberal arts and sciences, what advantages do you think it has given you? 

I enjoyed getting to explore some of my interests outside of my major, like exploring history courses and getting to learn about anthropology, which I would not have been exposed to otherwise. 

What's one of the biggest mistakes you made as an undergraduate student? 

My biggest mistake was not getting involved on campus while a student. I wish I had done more than attend class and leave campus to make better ties with the other students within my program. 

What approach do you take to advising? 

My approach is to allow students to choose their comfort level with my involvement. If you are a student who wants more help, than I will give more detailed information and encourage more appointments. But if you indicate you want to be more independent than I give answers when asked (and sometimes supply information when not asked but if needed).  

Do you have any advice for incoming students? 

Take as much time to acclimate to campus as you need and reach out to your advisor with any questions. There are no "dumb" questions, we (advisors) are here to help! You don't have to jump in and get involved right away, if you need time to get used to university life first but getting involved eventually is highly recommended! 

How can students connect with you remotely? 

Email is the best way to reach me currently: rrussell@wayne.edu.