ARTISTIC RENDERING: MERGE ARCHITECTS
A new advising hub, located along the Infinite Corridor and slated to open in fall 2025, will support the activities of the UAC and other related programs and initiatives.
1) The new space was designed with the whole student in mind.
Supporting academic success is a cornerstone of Chancellor Melissa Nobles’s focus on supporting the whole student. To that end, the UAC strives to positively influence the academic lives of every undergraduate and recognizes that every student will have a unique experience at MIT. “Our vision is that every undergraduate student at MIT, no matter their background, receives world-class advising support,” says UAC Director Diep Luu. “We are actively developing new student success programs and initiatives to help reduce the disparities in on-time graduation, particularly among underserved student populations such as first-generation college students, low-income students, and transfer students.” Luu likens the UAC to “connective tissue that coordinates advising, tutoring, and other supports across campus to ensure that students know about these resources and use them when they need them.”
2) The design of the advising hub is the direct result of student feedback.
The hub answers a longstanding call from students for a centralized campus location to support undergraduates’ academic needs, says Kate Trimble, senior associate dean and director for the Office of Experiential Learning. “We engaged students at every step of the hub’s design, getting their input on what makes a space comfortable, welcoming, functional, and fun,” says Trimble. Particular attention was paid to details like natural lighting, comfortable seating, and the creation of multifunctional areas that can be used for both private conversations and larger-scale gatherings. “We want students to feel excited and energized by the space because it reminds them of why the MIT community is so special,” says Trimble.
3) Dedicated UAC advisors will use the space to advise undergraduates throughout their entire undergraduate MIT experience.
UAC advisors, professional staff with advising expertise, provide students with a guiding hand throughout their undergraduate years. “The intention is to make it easier for students to navigate the MIT landscape and encourage them to connect with academic support resources sooner rather than later, whether it’s for MIT’s General Institute Requirements or more advanced-level classes,” says Luu, who has been instrumental in the design of the center’s advising model. The UAC advisors will complement—not replace—students’ departmental faculty advisors and will stick with students for all four years, providing helpful and holistic advice and warm referrals on a wide range of topics (majors, minors, concentrations, experiential learning, financial aid, career pathways, and more).
4) The hub will be multifunctional and open to all.
The new UAC is anticipated to open in the fall semester of 2025. Trimble envisions the UAC’s dynamic design and multifunctionality, brought to life by Merge Architects, as a magnet that will draw in all students. “It will be a place to touch down between classes or work collaboratively with friends, inviting them to pop in and say hello to their advisor or grab a snack,” she says. “We want it to function well for students and staff, for a wide variety of uses—everything from getting a quick answer to a question to having a sensitive advising conversation to big open house-style events.”
Give now: Learn more about and support the Undergraduate Advising Center Hub
Julianne Massa is a 2024 Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Summer Intern.