The Centre for Academic Advising & Student Success team includes the Academic Advisors and Writing Centre Coordinator. We meet with students one-on-one in on-campus and virtual appointments, and coordinate programs designed to support your academic success such as Right Start and Bounce Back.

At the Centre for Academic Advising & Student Success, we welcome all of the questions you may have during your academic journey. We are here to support you!

Meet the Centre for Academic Advising & Student Success team!

Erin Tomlinson | Manager

My connection to MSVU started when I was in junior high school in rural Nova Scotia. My older sister left home to live and study at the Mount, and when it came time for me to decide what to do after graduation, I followed in her footsteps. The Mount was the supportive community I needed to make the transition from my small high school to university. While making the step to higher education wasn’t always easy, it made a significant and positive impact on my life. Through my experiences at MSVU, I discovered a desire to help others navigate university and achieve their academic goals. I am so proud to be a part of the MSVU community and I am fortunate to work with a dedicated team of academic support staff to ensure that our services and programs are meeting students’ needs. I welcome you to stop by the Centre for Academic Advising and Student Success and learn about the ways we can support you throughout your studies!

CAASS Team Tip: Explore a wide range of courses. This can help you decide on an area of focus and you may also find interests you never knew you had!

CAASS Team Trivia: One of my favourite ways to relax is to listen to music.

Pronouns: She/Her

 

 

Heather Maxwell | Academic Advisor

As an Academic Advisor in the Centre for Academic Advising and Student Success, I am dedicated to supporting students throughout their educational journey. On a daily basis, I help students make choices that will lead to their academic success by exploring program requirements, assisting with course selection and program planning to suit their educational needs and career objectives.

I provide a confidential environment for our students to review academic progress and academic standings and help them to develop a plan to deal with academic difficulties if needed. If you have questions and aren’t sure who to ask, come visit us in the CAASS in Seton 303, it’s a great place to start!

CAASS Team Tip: Use the link “Degree Requirements” in MyMount to view your program evaluation which will show you what you need to graduate.

CAASS Team Trivia: I have a cocker spaniel named Buddy.

Pronouns: She/Her

 

Sarah Jacques | Interim Academic Advisor

Hi everyone!

My name is Sarah, and I am happy to help you navigate the university system and support you throughout your academic journey with us here at MSVU.
Before becoming an Academic Advisor, I worked at the Mount’s International Education Centre and provided cultural and academic assistance for international students for over a decade.

And before that, I travelled and lived in various places around the world, such as South Korea and New Zealand, mostly teaching English but sometimes farming or scuba diving. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. I believe everyone is an individual doing their best, and I believe every one of us needs a helping hand or a bit of guidance here and there. University can be both exciting and isolating at times, and here at the Centre for Academic Advising and Student Success (CAASS), we want you to know that you’re never alone as you go through the highs and the lows of academia. I am thrilled to be working with this dedicated and knowledgeable team of advisors.
And I hope to meet you soon!

CAASS Team Tip: Be brave, kind and curious! And ask lots of questions.
CAASS Team Trivia: I love gardening, and I drive a little blue motorcycle in the summer months.

Pronouns: She/Her

Makenna Lynch | Academic Advisor

Hello! My name is Makenna Lynch, I am an academic advisor with the CAASS. I started working at the Mount in 2022. I am newer to the Mount community but not new to advising. I completed both my Psychology and Social Work degrees at Dalhousie University, and this is where I first fell in love with advising students. During my first degree, I started as a peer advisor working with my fellow student peers on their academic and career goals. I then did my social work placement as an academic advisor, and shortly after I graduated, I started working as a professional advisor in their advising center and haven’t looked back.

I love working with students because attending university is such an exciting time in your life no matter when you start, but it can also be challenging and overwhelming. I want to be a supportive person you feel you can connect with to help you stay on track throughout your time here, navigate resources and challenges that might arise, help you develop and achieve your academic, engagement, and career related goals, and be there to celebrate your successes with you along the way.

I love being a part of the Mount community, and I look forward to meeting you!

CAASS Team Tip: If you have the time and are able to, find something you are interested in pursuing outside of the classroom on campus. It could be a cool club, society, a part-time job, etc. It’s a great way to meet other students, connect to the campus, and build your resume! Who knows, you might just discover your passion!

CAASS Team Trivia: I love to cook. If you have an amazing recipe to share, I would love to hear about it!

Clare Goulet | Writing Centre Coordinator

I’m a writer, editor, and a teacher of those. For 20 years I’ve edited new and established Canadian writers while teaching Writing Process, Editing, Creative Writing, and Poetry courses here at the Mount. I present or speak a lot on metaphoric insight, multi-voiced texts, and creative forms of scholarship, and I love transforming a person’s writing experience and process and creation. Let’s face it: writing feels hard! It’s a somewhat unnatural translation of the world — human beings existed just fine without it for most of our existence on the planet. We’re all still learning how to do it. At the Writing Centre, we love to help with any writing issue — academic, professional, or creative — for students enrolled in any graduate or undergraduate program.

CAASS Team Tip: Book early, book often — up to a limit of 1 booked appointment per week per Mount student. This encourages students to apply what’s been learned in sessions and to avoid becoming dependent on their tutor: we want each student to become a more flexible, clearer, and confident writer.

CAASS Team Trivia: I have a secret lichen collection.

Pronouns: She/Her

Clare Goulet

Soumya Jain | Office Assistant

Hello MSVU! My name is Soumya Jain (pronounced as sawm-ya) and I’m the Office Assistant for the Centre for Academic Advising and Student Success (CAASS). In this role, I support the Academic Advisors, Writing Centre, and the Black Student Support Office. Feel free to reach out if you have questions, you’re not sure where to begin or who to contact. The best way to reach me is either through email: advising@msvu.ca or phone: 902-457-6657.

I graduated from Grenfell Campus, MUN with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honours) in December 2022 and started working at MSVU right after. Before joining the CAASS, I worked at the Residence Life Office until June 2024.

CAASS Team Tip: The best way to book an appointment is through our online booking portal, as you can easily see the next available appointment, and select a day/time that works best for you.

CAASS Team Trivia: I enjoy traveling and have a keen interest in learning about different countries, their cultures, and languages.

Pronouns: She/Her