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Wilder School academic advisor Nicolette Zbell helps navigate students to graduation and beyond
by Pam Cox
Academic advisors play a key role in the journey of students as they navigate their way to success. At the Wilder School, our academic advisors are dedicated to providing personalized attention to each student. It’s a mission that drives Nicolette Zbell, an advisor at the Wilder School Office of Student Success.
For 14 years, Zbell has advised thousands of students at VCU as an academic advisor. She joined the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs four years ago, bringing more than a decade of experience as a VCU advisor. She says the most rewarding part of her job is helping students– but the most challenging part is getting them to her office.
Zbell says she has found success in being authentic.
"Being genuine and sharing my personality and my quirks with students helps me to forge strong relationships from the first time we meet. I always say, 'If I can get a student in my office, I know they will come back.’” — Nicolette Zbell
“I treat all of my students with openness, genuineness, respect, and positivity.” She adds, “Being genuine and sharing my personality and my quirks with students helps me to forge strong relationships from the first time we meet. I always say, ‘If I can get a student in my office, I know they will come back.’”
Current Wilder School students can book an advising appointment online
Zbell enjoys working with students to help them “overcome, work around or bypass,” any barriers along their paths to earning their degree. Academic advising goes beyond pairing students with the right classes, focusing on a holistic experience that supports them to get involved with the campus community. The Office of Student Success offers information about scholarships, and student organizations, guidance on stress management and time management, and refers students to resources such as tutoring services and mental health counseling. Zbell’s open and positive approach has created strong connections with her advisees who call themselves “Zbellies.” She was pleasantly surprised by the students' moniker.
“I thought, ‘what a perfect name for my students!,’ Sometimes Zbellies are formally assigned to me in the advising system. Others are referrals, my advisees’ girlfriend/boyfriend or best friend. I’ve even had a former student send their younger sibling who is currently enrolled.”
Those former students, now alumni, are important connections for her to maintain. Advisement can extend beyond graduation with career development and continuing education. Zbell loves using her network to keep in touch with alumni,get updates about their careers and connect them to professional opportunities with current students.
She also connects with those who have shifted career paths and are in places where they wouldn’t have expected themselves to be. It’s something she is very familiar with from her own journey. She earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling with a goal of working with children.
“I had some mental health counseling related jobs, but the burn out was high and there were limited options to work with children without a Licensed Professional Counselor certification. It didn’t seem to be the best fit for me.” She switched career paths after seeking her own guidance from a friend who works as a career advisor for college students.
Zbell encourages students to get to know their academic advisor. “The better they know you – what you are interested in, what you struggle with – the better we can advise you on course selection, graduation planning, and career exploration ”The Wilder School offers resources for undergraduate and graduate students. You can reach your advisor or find valuable support resources by clicking on the Wilder School’s student resource webpage.