What We Do 

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 advising, including making advisor assignments, processing advisor change requests, assisting students on academic probation, assisting students who wish to reintegrate to the university, and providing information and referrals for students to ensure academic success. In addition, we coordinate peer tutoring 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 (Interim)

As Interim 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 that each student is an individual and brings their own unique qualities to their academics.  In order to be academically successful students need to find an approach that works for them, based on their own talents.  

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 to Bemidji State University where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and continued to at BSU in 2006 as a graduate student, earning a Master in Science degree in Counseling Psychology in 2010.   I am married and have two children, ages 7 and 5.  I have learned that advising students is much like parenting children in that just as soon as I understand my children's current stage of development, they go and develop further leaving me one step behind.  And so my advising philosophy, as with parenting, while it is important to keep them from falling, also to support them when they do.   Thanks for visiting.  Stop by anytime.  

Jacqueline Dotson, Retention Counselor (Interim) 

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.

Hannah Wilson, Graduate Assistant

Anna Hamann, Graduate Assistant

Randi Sande, Student Worker

Mary Kieffer, Student Worker

Clarissa Caola, Student Worker

Our Mission

The mission of the Advising Success Center is to serve students by helping them shape their potential through the opportunity for academic and social support; by providing them advocacy to see things in new ways and to assist with academic and career planning for lifelong learning.