Briana Welsh from UNC Chapel Hill shares Advisor Advice for Fall 2025.
About this Advisor:
Who/ what are you listening to, reading, or watching right now?
I am obsessed with Top Chef right now! I love cooking and being able to watch chefs be creative and thrive in a fast-paced environment is exhilarating to watch and it inspires me to step out of the box and experiment with cooking.
What are you most looking forward to with school starting back?
I am looking forward to rolling out our new structure implementing new processes within the programming board because we have been hard at work since the spring semester and all summer long to make things happen. These changes will allow us to be more efficient and intentional with our programming and retention efforts!
Advice from this Advisor:
When it comes to working with this current generation of students, what advice do you have for fellow advisors?
When it comes to working with this generation, I advise fellow advisors to be clear, consistent, and caring, but not coddling. I’m direct and upfront – not the hand-holding type – but I’ll absolutely walk alongside students. You have to trust the foundation you’ve given them and then step back to let them thrive in their own way. They ask WHY often, and they’re eager to make things more efficient, especially with the tech they’ve grown up using. We should embrace that and create space for their innovation, especially around digital presence; they know how to make social media work in powerful ways. Also, we have to let them fail because it’s how they learn. They want to know you’re in their corner, but they also want the room to grow. I know we hate to see anything fall short, but they crave the lessons that come from those moments. At the end of the day, it’s all about balance. I focus on creating that balance by being supportive, but not enabling; compassionate, but not performative. I’ve found that students value advisors who set boundaries, communicate expectations, and challenge them with intention.
What advice do you have for new student programmers who are stepping into their roles in the fall for the first time?
YOU DID IT! You conquered the recruitment process and now you have the distinct pleasure of being integrated into the legacy of your programming board. My advice to all the new student programmers is to never lose sight of why YOUR programming board exists. You’re there to curate impactful, intentional and fun experiences for the campus community. Enhance those experiences that made you want to join the board, and create the experiences you wish you had. You are going to come up short, it’s going to be hard, and sometimes balancing academics, other clubs/organizations, and even jobs will seem impossible. Remember you have a team of peers and advisors who are there to support you and only want to see you thrive. Treat everyone with respect and step outside of your comfort zone. You are there for a reason and the fall semester will go by so quickly. Enjoy every moment and make sure you take lots of pictures and videos because you will want to remember all of the smiles you put on other peoples faces and the feeling you had when you’re in the thick of an event. YOU GOT THIS! I believe in YOU.