Every semester, students struggle to figure out where they are in their academic journey and what courses to pursue. That is where academic advisors like Katie Hixson come in to put students on the right track. As an advisor, her role at Texas A&M University – Texarkana is to assist all undergraduates in graduating through “timely academic planning,” she says. This includes meeting with students regularly to discuss where they are at in their academic career, and where they are going.

Hixson has 8 years of experience in academic advising, career academic counseling, recruitment, and retention planning as well. “I have provided, identified, analyzed, and solved problems and successfully handled conflict resolution in assigned areas,” she says. While it may sound like a stressful job, she says that being able to empower students to work toward their academic and career goals and being able to mentor them fuels her motivation.

One of her favorite parts of the job is witnessing students’ journeys. She says, “I enjoy helping and guiding students from their first step on campus and watching them walk across the stage at graduation.” She has found her career fulfilling, and as a result, strongly recommends any job in higher education. For those looking to pursue a future in education, she says “to connect with resources on campus to broaden their own connections and develop self-sufficiency.”

At the end of the day, Hixson just wants students to live their best lives. She says her message to every student would be, “Always remember to find your ‘Why’ and to begin with the end in mind. Look inside yourself and discover what your philosophy is and design your short- and long-term goals when tackling any new endeavors.”