KATE WESTPHAL
STAFF WRITER
Helper Helper is a new service on Alma College’s campus. Helper Helper is an app that students can download and it connects them to volunteer opportunities in and around Alma College as well as opportunities outside Alma College.
The purpose of Helper Helper is to make it easier for students to find volunteer opportunities on campus, as well as organize such events for their coordinators. By making it easier for event coordinators to find volunteers and for volunteers to find events, Helper Helper reduces confusion about volunteering on campus.
Opportunities for volunteering on campus are always changing due to the amount of events happening throughout the year, so students are encouraged to consistently look on Helper Helper for new events to volunteer at.
Starfish is a relatively new addition to Alma College’s campus. The role of the program is to make assistance-seeking easier for students and faculty. Faculty and staff members can raise a flag on a student, indicating a concern for that student.
By raising a flag, the student, their academic advisor, the retention team and other academic services will be notified and will be put in contact with the student.
The purpose of Starfish is for faculty to seek assistance for students who are struggling with their academics before it’s too late. Starfish also provides a way for faculty to indicate to students that they should start looking for resources across campus.
Starfish can also be used to express positive feedback in the form of “kudos,” such as “Keep Up The Good Work,” or that they have achieved “Outstanding Academic Performance” on a certain assignment.
As well as expressing concern or giving feedback, Starfish can be used to schedule meetings with a student’s academic advisor. By providing their office hours and other scheduling information online, professors make it easier for students to contact and set up meetings with them.
Handshake is also a way to get involved on campus and connect with Alma College alumni as well. By creating a Handshake account with their Alma College email, students are able to be connected to jobs and internships across the country in multiple fields of study.
Through using the site, students can upload their resumes and have them looked over and critiqued by Career Development staff. In addition, students can search for jobs or internships in specific fields they are interested in and find Alma College alumni in those fields. Handshake can also be used to schedule a meeting with the career development staff in the Center for Student Opportunity or register for career fairs and other events that bring potential employers to Alma College.
By using these programs that Alma College offers, students can expand their network of potential connections in their interested field for opportunities outside of college. These programs are meant to help students and provide the best way for them to get involved in and around campus whether by volunteering or taking an internship.
