Gillings School academic coordinators champion student success

August 22, 2024

Adia Ware talks to students at a wellness event.

When a student comes to the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, they are embarking on a major journey that can shape the course of their life. A journey that instills them with the skills and knowledge to tackle complex health challenges and improve community well-being.

And much like public health, the challenges students can encounter while at the Gillings School are multi-faceted. Students are responsible for much more than their academic progress. They have jobs, families, friendships and other life commitments that they must balance while in school.

To help students succeed at the number one public school of public health, the Gillings School employs a team of academic coordinators who can meet students wherever they are on their path to a degree. Like advisors or coaches, academic coordinators partner with students to find answers to questions, connect them to experts and mentors, provide practical advice to resolve difficulties, or offer words of encouragement when needed.

Trina Gabriel

“I liken it to being an air traffic controller,” said Academic Coordinator Trina Gabriel, “because students have different flight paths. I’m not the one flying the plane, but I’m there to help them on their journey.”

“I see myself as a big brother in some ways,” said Academic Coordinator Will Gillison. “Being in college can give students a feeling of impostor syndrome, so I want them to feel comfortable bringing any concern to me. Because if we only cared about one aspect of their lives, students would know.”

Each student is assigned an academic coordinator when they join the Gillings School, and they serve as a student’s primary academic advisor, guiding students through degree milestones from the beginning through completion. Academic coordinators are assigned to specific degrees and serve all students under this degree or concentration. Some, like Gillison, focus on residential students in certain Master of Public Health (MPH) concentrations, while others, like Gabriel, focus on online MPH@UNC students.

And while they are called academic coordinators, they are ready and eager to answer questions on just about anything!

U’Ronda Higgs

“We build a lot of knowledge in our role,” explained U’Ronda Higgs, MS, assistant director for academic advising. “It doesn’t mean we have all the answers, but many of the challenges students face are the same, regardless of whether they’re in undergraduate or graduate programs. They may just show up differently. For example, my undergraduate students may be dealing with parents who have illnesses, while my graduate students may be parents themselves. So, our role is helping students navigate not only their education but oftentimes how that education fits into where they’re at in their life.”

Melissa Hobgood

“Academic policy and procedure – we can quote that with our eyes closed, but we also realize that students have a life outside of these four walls,” said Melissa Hobgood, who is an academic coordinator for non-MPH students in the Department of Biostatistics. “It’s up to each student how in-depth they want to talk with us, but we’re here to support them in any way we can.”

All students can benefit from the help that academic coordinators provide in building study habits and laying out a degree plan. But there are many areas where their support might look different for each student. Some may need help managing relationships with professors, fellow students in their cohort or project management. Others may need to be connected to offices at the University that provide financial aid support, mental health resources, instructional technology, accommodations or outlets to express personal concerns.

Adia Ware

“There’s a number of different reasons that students might need to click on a link and schedule a meeting with me, but I want them to know that if you don’t know what to do, or you can’t figure it out, then reach out,” said Adia Ware, MS, assistant director of academic advising. “I might not be the person to solve the problem for you, but I’m connected to someone who can.”

The work of an academic coordinator is unique to the Gillings School and, in some ways, a reflection of the public health mindset: one that approaches challenges from a holistic perspective. While students also build relationships with faculty mentors, who can answer specific questions about their program or area of study or help them gain a clearer picture of their future career in their field of interest, academic coordinators aim to build relationships that can help students thrive in every part of their Gillings School experience.

“It definitely feels like the work we do is a staple of public health,” said Higgs. “Student affairs as a whole is a public health hub for Gillings. We address all the needs that students have and do everything we can, because their success is a part of public health.”

The path to graduation may not look the same for every student, but no one has to walk it alone. Find your academic coordinator today and start connecting!

Contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@unc.edu.