A Day In The Life Of A Serna Center Coordinator At California State University Sacramento
A retention specialist's day, according to Saray, begins early and is structured around numerous student meetings, each unique and rewarding, aimed at motivating students and helping them overcome challenges, but also consists of administrative tasks like emails, printing, and coordinating with campus partners, with the final hour dedicated to catching up, ensuring the office is clear, and then commuting home. Even though the days are "consistent in the sense that there's meetings throughout each week, each day, but each meeting has its own unique conversation," which keeps a retention specialist on their toes, as a result of the varying needs of students that retention specialists serve.
Student Support, Mentoring, Communication, Time Management, Meeting Coordination
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Saray Aguirre
Serna Center Coordinator
California State University, Sacramento
CSU, Sacramento
CSU, Sacramento - MA in Education (Higher Educational Leadership & Policy Studies)
Anthropology, Sociology
Education
Education
HSI Grad, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The role involves a lot of meetings with students, typically 30-45 minutes each, spread throughout the day.
2. An hour is dedicated at the end of the day to catch up on emails, follow up with students, print materials, and connect with campus partners.
3. Despite a consistent schedule of meetings, each student interaction is unique, addressing different issues and contributing to a rewarding experience.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a retention specialist look like?
As a retention specialist, my day starts pretty bright and early. I have to be in the office by 8:00 AM. I usually open the doors, turn on the lights, and make sure everything is ready for the staff and students.
My commute starts earlier than that, but once I'm in the office, my first meeting with students is at 9:00 AM. I give myself a little time to settle in before that. From nine, I have a meeting, then another student meeting at ten, and another at eleven.
Those meetings are usually 30 to 45 minutes long. I also have an hour-long lunch, which I take very seriously. That's my time to myself, to reconnect with my thoughts and make sure I'm ready for the next student.
Right after lunch, it's usually another student meeting, or sometimes a team meeting. It definitely consists of a lot of meetings. At the end of each day, I give myself an hour to finish up any tasks I didn't get to.
Throughout the day, this includes getting back to emails, responding to students, printing items they might need, and connecting with campus partners. So that last hour is typically for catching up. My day officially ends at 5:00 PM every day.
This usually means making sure the office is clear, students have finished their study sessions, nothing is left behind, and then closing the doors. After that, I head home, which is another 30-minute commute. My day usually ends at home around 6:00 PM.
Even though it's a lot of meetings, it's extremely rewarding because each day looks different. While there's consistency with meetings throughout the week, each conversation is unique. Each student is different, and that keeps me on my toes.
I don't always know what's coming next from a student or how we can assist them. Seeing them accomplish something they thought they never would is very fulfilling. Those conversations are extremely helpful throughout my day, keeping me motivated. They also help the students stay motivated during their first year at the university.