Current GVSU Students
Who is my Academic Advisor and How do we Connect?
Seidman's full length Academic Advising Appointments will be offered virtually by phone, video or in-person (Grand Rapids City Campus and Allendale Valley Campus).
Book your appointments in Navigate. Select from the following:
- Seidman College of Business (Grand Rapids - SCB 1031 ) These are in-person appointments
- Seidman College of Business (Allendale - AuSable 1112) These are in-person appointments (available fall/winter semester)
- Seidman College of Business (phone)
- Seidman College of Business (video)
We post appointments every Monday morning for the following week. If you do not see an open appointment or a time that works for you, check back the following Monday morning for more availability. If you have any issues, please call (616) 331-7500 for assistance.
If you have already declared your major in one of the departments within the College, you have been assigned a Professional Advisor. They will be listed as your Major 1 advisor and Pro 1 Advisor. Once you complete your Seidman Success Standards (or are an Early Access Admit), you will also be assigned a faculty mentor (Major 1 advisor). Your Professional Advisor will remain the same. There are two ways to find out who they are:
1. Log into MyBanner, Select Student > Student Records > View Major & Advisor Information
2. Log into Navigate360; You will see your Success Team on the bottom right, which includes your professional advisor and faculty mentor (if assigned).
No appointment needed to speak with a Professional Seidman Advisor.
Monday's 1-3PM. You will only be allowed to sign in for Express Advising during listed times.
Things to keep in mind when preparing for your express advising phone call:
- Students will be seen on a first come first serve basis. An advisor will call you in the order that you joined the waitlist.
- If you do not answer your phone, the advisor will move on to the next student on the list. You will want to keep your phone by you while you wait.
- If you have any issues adding yourself to the waitlist, please call (616) 331-7500 for assistance.
Professional Advisors
As staff members of Seidman Undergraduate Programs, we are the professional advisors for undergraduate business students. We are happy to assist you with the following:
- Determining requirements needed for graduation
- Scheduling, registration, and general problem solving
- Dropping or adding classes
- Declaring your Seidman major
- Course sequencing
Faculty Mentors
Once you have completed the Seidman Success Standards, you not only will have the services of the Seidman Undergraduate Programs staff, you will be assigned a faculty mentor in your major field of study. Your faculty mentor will act as a liaison to your future, working closely with you for career planning and selection of major electives. In addition, your faculty advisor is an excellent source of information about graduate study and career opportunities. Faculty advisors like to help and are available during their normal office hours or by appointment.
Once you know the name of your assigned faculty mentor, you can find their office, email address and phone number by using the GVSU People Finder.
All faculty members hold open office hours to meet with students. Call or email your faculty mentor directly or contact your major academic department to determine your mentor's office hours. If you are not available during your faculty mentor's office hours, you can often arrange another time to meet with them.
Before Your Appointment
Preparing for an Advising Appointment
• Please anticipate your advising needs and make appointments early. Advisors schedules fill up quickly, especially during peak times such as registration.
• Expect advisors to give you referrals. While we are experts in advising, we are not experts in all matters related to GVSU. We’ve worked hard to build networks across campus to appropriate refer you for additional support services.
• Feel free to discuss academic and non-academic issues relevant to your education with your advisor. Be willing to identify and discuss your difficulties and come up with ideas for addressing them. The more we know about you, the better able we are to determine appropriate academic goals.
• Be prepared and come with written questions.
• Research Degree & Course Requirements
• Review General Education Requirements
• View the Schedule of Classes
• If you wish to discuss scheduling, create a tentative schedule for yourself and bring it to the advising appointment.
• Give thoughtful consideration to your academic and career goals.
• Take initiative to contact your advisor(s) and/or an advising center.
• Actively participate in the advising session.
• Ask questions if you do not understand a policy or procedure,
• Know the Academic Calendar. Do not miss deadlines. Know when to register and drop or add courses.
• Schedule courses that are consistent with your educational goals and that will meet degree requirements.
• Accept responsibility for making final decisions on academic choices.
• Development of suitable educational plans including the selection of appropriate courses and other educational experiences
• Enhancement of student awareness about educational resources available (e.g., internship, study abroad, honors and learning assistance programs)
• Referral to and use of GVSU and community support services
• Clarification of career and life goals
• Evaluation of student progress toward established goals
• Interpretation of GVSU requirements
A course syllabus is your roadmap through a course. A syllabus outlines required readings, assignment details as well as important due dates and expectations. In this instance, the Academic Advising Syllabus serves as your roadmap through your entire time with GVSU and the Seidman College of Business. The expectations of all those involved in your advising experience, including YOU, are detailed in this document.
Academic Advising for Prospective Students
Campus Visit with Academic Spotlight on Business
If you are interested in applying for admission at GVSU and would like to learn more about the undergraduate programs in the Seidman College of Business, this event is for you!
What to Expect: Designed for prospective undergraduate students, this campus visit includes an admissions presentation co-presented with the Seidman College of Business Advising Center followed by a tour of the L. William Seidman Center. The whole visit takes about 2 hours.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to capacity limits, if the calendar date displays "Unavailable/Filled," those visit opportunities are currently filled at capacity. This site is updated in real-time. Cancellations may occur, and any open opportunities will be displayed in green when they become available.
Upcoming Campus Spotlight Events: Check back later for upcoming tours
Laker Open House Events are in-person, campus-wide events, designed for future students and their families. These events provide you with the opportunity to experience Grand Valley's academic programs and campus communities, and navigate your next steps. Hear from faculty, student support staff, and current students, then tour the Allendale campus to experience the Laker Effect for yourself. For those interested in business, an afternoon tour of the Seidman College of Business led by a Seidman Academic Advisor will round out the day.
Upcoming Laker Open House Events: Check back later for upcoming tours
Request a Prospective Student Appointment
If you are not able to attend any of our upcoming campus visit dates, we are happy to meet with you one-on-one. Simply click on Request a Prospective Student Appointment below and fill out the information requested. We will contact you to set up an appointment to speak with a Seidman Academic Advisor.
Request a Prospective Student Appointment
UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT(S): If you've taken college classes anywhere other than GVSU please email an unofficial copy of your transcript from each college attended to [email protected] including any course work that is currently in progress. Send transcripts 48 hours in advance of your appointment so we can plan for your visit.
Who We Are
Sandy Farley
Director
Tami DeFouw
Assistant Director
Amy Schuster
Senior Advisor
Shannon Zakalik
Senior Advisor
Jacki Jenkins
Senior Advisor
Kailee McDonough
Advisor
Kelly Boyd
Advisor
Maria Schepper
Advisor
Maddie Quintanilla
Advisor
Molly Duimstra
Program Assistant
Who We Are
Seidman Undergraduate Programs
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Sandy began her professional career in Residence Life at Grand Valley State University and is now the Director of Academic Advising for the Seidman College of Business. She has a B.S. with majors in Psychology and Communication and a Master’s in Art in Counseling Education/Counseling Psychology, both from Western Michigan University. Before returning to GVSU, she worked at Ashland University, Baker College and Aquinas College in various capacities. Sandy has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys boating, camping, hiking and traveling to spend time with family and friends.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Tami earned a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations and a M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Leadership both from Grand Valley State University. Before joining the Seidman College of Business, Tami served as an adjunct advisor in the Student Academic Success Center where she supported the Freshman Academy Program and international students. Tami has been a Michigander all her life but enjoys any and all opportunities to travel and explore the United States and beyond. As a pastime, she paints acrylics on canvas ever since she took an introductory art course. Baking is another of her hobbies, and her cake ball creation has won awards.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Amy earned her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Calvin University in 2009 and her M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University in 2012. Starting in her undergrad experience until now, Amy has worked in both career advising and academic advising roles. After graduating from GVSU, she spent quite a few years in Colorado working for various higher education institutions. After returning to her home state of Michigan, Amy joined the Seidman Undergraduate Programs team in early 2021. In her free time, Amy loves spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, and anything that involves being near a lake.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Shannon earned her B.S. in Secondary Education with a focus in Mathematics from Saginaw Valley State University in 2013. After finishing her undergrad, Shannon began working in SVSU’s Office of Admissions while completing her M.A. in Public Administration with an emphasis in Student Affairs. Prior to joining the Seidman team, she worked as an Academic Advisor at Michigan State University. In her free time, Shannon enjoys camping, running, and enjoying all things Michigan.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Jacki earned her B.A. in Social Studies Secondary Education with an emphasis in History from Grand Valley State University in 2009. After finishing her undergrad, Jacki also completed a post-bachelor’s certificate in Paralegal Studies from Lansing Community College. After getting back into Secondary Education, Jacki went back to school for her M.Ed. in Higher Education Student Affairs from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Prior to joining the Seidman team, Jacki worked as an Academic Advisor and Instructor at Siena Heights University. In her spare time, Jacki enjoys playing softball, watching sports, traveling, singing, coaching tumbling and cheerleading, and enjoying the outdoors with her pups, friends, and family.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Kailee earned her B.S. in Psychology from Western Michigan University in 2016. After finishing her undergrad, Kailee spent two years as a College Advisor through AmeriCorps at Hastings High School. This sparked her interest in Student Affairs, which led her to complete her M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University in 2020. After graduating from GVSU, she worked as an Academic Advisor at Central Washington University in the state of Washington. In her free time, Kailee loves camping, playing video games, baking, and spending time with her two cats, Frasier and Niles!
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Kelly earned both her B.S. in Exercise Science and her M. Ed. in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University. While completing her master’s degree, Kelly worked in Financial Aid and completed internships in Housing and Residence life at GVSU, and in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. From her time as an undergraduate until now, Kelly has worked in the Office of Student Life and in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at GVSU. In her free time Kelly enjoys weekends trips up north, going to the farmers market, attending workout classes, and spending time with friends and family.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Maria earned her B.A. in Spanish and International Studies from Saginaw Valley State University in 2020 and her M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University in 2022. Maria accepted a position at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor campus as a pre-health advisor after graduating and worked there for 2 years supporting students pursuing a health professions program. After deciding where to set some roots down, the west side was calling back. This led Maria to join the Siedman team in 2024. During Maria’s free time, she enjoys finding new places to explore with her husband Taylor and their dog Milo.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Maddie graduated from Michigan State University in 2023 with a B.A. in English. After completing her undergraduate degree, Maddie spent time as a College Advisor through AmeriCorps at Perry High School. She recently finished up the M.Ed of Higher Education CSAL program at Grand Valley. In her spare time, Maddie enjoys cooking, working out, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.
Office Address: 1031 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7500
Email: [email protected]
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Molly earned her B.S. in Resource Development and Environmental Policy at Michigan State University. After graduating from MSU, she worked for the Bureau of Land Management in New Mexico as a Park Ranger. After returning to her home state of Michigan,she began her career at GVSU in 2013 and joined the staff of Seidman Undergraduate Programs. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family in northern Michigan, and walking her pups on the White Pine Trail.