When dealing with today’s generation of students, we cannot expect them to approach us when they have questions. Instead, we believe that we need to get in the habit of going to them. During the first few weeks of each semester, our peer mentors and key staff members will be seen carrying signs around campus. At any given time during these weeks, we will have a dozen or more student leaders wandering campus, making themselves available to help students. We go to the students. We engage with them in their space and on their turf. We let the students know we are here to help. The results have been amazing.
We also do similar things throughout the semester to learn about the things that are going right and wrong with our students’ education. As Bill Gates said, “your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” (Anderson, 2013). Give it a try. Grab a sign. Start wandering. Discover all the meaningful conversations that are waiting to happen.
