Connect with Faculty

These pointers are designed to help you maximize your faculty connections:

• Know your faculty office hours.
  • You can meet with current faculty, faculty you've taken courses from in the past, or faculty you've never met before.
  • Check the syllabus for a current class, or the website for your major.
• Ask faculty to make an appointment if you can't attend their office hours.
  • If you send an email with your request, make it formal and polite.
• Talk to faculty about what they studied as undergraduate and graduate students (even if you do your research beforehand).
  • Are there any graduate programs they're aware of that match your interests?
  • If you are interested in career information, do they have any recommendations?
• Research how to conduct an informational interview.
• Write a thank you email or letter: this is good practice for more formal interviews.

If you hit a dead end with a faculty member (your interests don't match, or you don't make a connection), feel free to ask if they can suggest any other references for you. And try not to be discouraged. There is always a next time if you make it happen.

Want some practice or more pointers? Consider meeting with the Krege provost for more ideas on how to connect with faculty.