A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Boomer giving someone a high five; text on the photo says 'A Bear's Life: Student Stories"
Photo by Jesse Scheve/Missouri State University

Introducing Open Hours (Spring 2023 Week 3)

by

We are open poster announcing details of open hours

Welcome back to MSU students! We are a few weeks in, and the energy is back on campus. Like any semester, there are some new changes on campus to guide students to success further – one of those changes being here in the CAST office! This semester, we are introducing Open Hours! This is something new our office is trying, and we want to make sure to advertise to anyone who is interested.

Our Open Hours serve the purpose of letting students drop in at their own convenience to meet with a Peer Mentor or Success Coach without previously scheduling or requesting an appointment. If you aren’t familiar with the difference between a Peer Mentor and a Success Coach, visit the Student Academic Assistance page on the CAST website.

Open Hour Details:

  • Success Coach:
    • Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00
    • Tuesdays from 12:30-3:00
    • Topics a Success Coach can help with: test preparation, time management, using a planner, and more!
  • Peer Mentor:
    • Mondays from 1:00-2:00
    • Wednesdays from 9:00-10:00
    • Topics a Peer Mentor can help with: using My Missouri State, steps to follow to register for classes or use Trial Schedule Builder, Missouri State resources, and more!

If you wish to try Open Hours, follow the steps below:

  1. Our office is located in Meyer Library room 116. When you walk through the door, you’ll be greeted at the front desk and you can let them know that you are visiting for Open Hours.
  2. You’ll then be paired with a Peer Mentor or Success Coach, who will meet with you either in the CAST office or in a nearby space in the library.
  3. Once your meeting is over, you can schedule a time to consistently meet with a Peer Mentor or Success Coach if you would like.

Reasons you may want to give Open Hours a try:

  1. You are more comfortable in a less formal setting and prefer to drop by at your convenience. While our Open Hours are limited, it does provide a less traditional setting for students.
  2. You aren’t sure if you want to commit to meeting with a Peer Mentor or a Success Coach yet. Utilizing our Open Hours is a great way to familiarize yourself with the CAST office’s resources without a previous or future appointment. 

This is something new the CAST office is trying, and we want your opinion! If you give Open Hours a try, please share your experience with us . We are super excited to be able to support students even more, and we hope that you’ll stop by to come to see us!

“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” – Bobby Unser

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, a sophomore studying special needs education. Fun fact: I grew up on a farm.)