Ask UVM connects 200 students to campus help

Ask UVM, a student-staffed resource center on the third floor of the Davis Center, has assisted more than 200 students since opening this fall. The office has answered approximately 150 direct questions and opened between 60 and 70 referrals to other university departments.

The university launched the initiative to address a specific gap in student support. A survey conducted last year over six weeks found that roughly 15% of students did not know how to access help when they needed it, said Kevin McPherson, the Ask UVM coordinator. McPherson described the office as a front office that manages 30 different types of referrals to advising offices.

The center is staffed by five UVM professionals and 10 student employees called CAT Guides. These guides handle inquiries that range from Student Financial Services to technical issues with CATCards. When a guide cannot resolve a problem, they submit a referral through the Navigate360 system, and the relevant office contacts the student directly.

Rose Goldsmith, a sophomore CAT Guide, noted that early visits came primarily from first-year and transfer students. Those students asked about navigating Brightspace and details on study abroad programs. Goldsmith said visitor numbers have decreased now that the semester is underway, but engagement is expected to rise during housing selection, course registration, and finals periods.

Students also use the office for unexpected campus situations. Eva Philippi, a sophomore, lost a bike key in the Ira Allen Chapel and asked the CAT Guides for help. The guides contacted UVM Police, who located the key and turned it into the Davis Center lost and found.

To increase visibility, the office has used tabling, giveaways, and stickers. A whiteboard outside the entrance currently displays fun questions and polls to engage passing students. McPherson said the office has no plans to expand its core services but aims to raise awareness among upperclassmen.