Hamilton welcomes Matthew Plescia, who joined the ALEX Advising Team on September 2. Matt came from Utah State University, where he served as an advisor to students in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Before that, he supported and advised students at Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida SouthWestern State College.
Matt comes to Hamilton with a breadth of valuable knowledge, including expertise in Appreciative Advising and nearly a decade of experience in higher education as a professional advisor. He holds a B.S. in Human Resource Management and an M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction: Educational Technology from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Matt has contributed to the broader academic advising community, presenting research at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and serving as both a co-host and guest host of the Adventures in Advising podcast, where he shared innovative approaches to student success. Additionally, Matt will partake in the continued development and rollout of the ALEX Advising Curriculum.
What initially drew you to Hamilton?
What initially drew me to Hamilton was the open curriculum and being able to work in a different setting and the challenge it presented for me.
I’ve never worked at a liberal arts college before. At Florida SouthWestern State College, I worked with students earning degrees in vocational and technical fields, like radiologic technology, dental hygiene and nursing. I advised 1800 students, so almost the same size as Hamilton.
After that, I went on to Utah State University, and I moved there because of their advising system. They rely heavily on something called Appreciative Advising, a system with six phases. The first phase, Disarm, is my favorite. When students come into my office, I want them to feel welcomed and comfortable and really get to know me. When I wear band hats like Harry Styles in my appointments, it’s not just to wear them. I actually like Harry Styles and use it to start a conversation with students.
I have a friend of mine who works in a liberal arts school, and I visited him and got to see the student population. I was like, wow, this is great. So then I found Hamilton, and I looked into it. When I came here for my interview, I instantly knew that this would be the right fit. Everyone is so welcoming, kind and here to serve students.
What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to current college students?
My biggest piece of advice for college students is to take advantage of outside resources, put yourself out there and not just focus on coursework. Something I always tell people is that 50% of the college experience is what you’re doing outside of the classroom. When I was an undergraduate, I was only part of one club, and I feel like I missed out. But when I got to graduation, I had many other opportunities.
For first years, however, you don’t have to do all of the things in your first year because sometimes it’s not possible. Take things at your own comfortable pace, and it may take some time to figure out what that pace is.
What have been some of your favorite memories at Hamilton so far?
My favorite memory was actually during my interview. I got to meet with eight students, and it was great hearing about what they’re learning because everyone was studying a different subject or facet.
Another memorable moment was when I was standing in line at Euphoria at the beginning of the year waiting for my coffee, and a student came up to me and said, “Are you Matt?” I had no idea that my bio went out to all the Hamilton students. I thought it was just sent to faculty and staff! Coincenentally, that student is actually going to be my advisee. I have not had that type of welcoming experience anywhere else.
What is your favorite hobby or way you like to spend your free time?
I love going to concerts. I go to far too many concerts, and most of the time I travel for them. Usually, when I visit different states, it’s for a concert. I listen to a lot of punk music, but I also listen to artists like Harry Styles. I just put up a Lana Del Rey poster in my office.
How can the ALEX Advisors Team (and other campus resources) encourage more students to seek out their support?
The ALEX Advising Team has already started doing this by being present at community events, especially first-year programs such as orientation and move-in, to build connections and become familiar faces from the start.
Also, it’s important for students to know that it’s never too late to meet with your ALEX Advisor, go to the Career Center or attend your professor’s office hours. I tell students to learn from the mistakes that I made as an undergraduate. I needed to go to office hours, but I didn’t. And then when I did, that changed my whole perspective on everything, and I realized that advisors and professors are actual human beings that want to help.
Noelle Niznik, Director of ALEX Advising, commented on Plescia’s addition to the ALEX team.
While we are not only advisors for first years, making connections early helps the advisors and students develop meaningful relationships from the start that can carry through all four years.
Matt brings a fresh perspective to Hamilton, coming from larger public universities with a very different culture and student body. Having advised students across a range of majors and backgrounds, he’s excited to continue meeting new students, learning from them and tailoring his support to meet each student where they are.
Next time you’re waiting in line for coffee at Euphoria and see Matt there, be sure to say hi and introduce yourself! Whether or not you’re his advisee, he’s a friendly face on campus who loves chatting about music and bands, and can connect you with useful campus resources.
The ALEX Advisors work to encourage students to use the various resources at Hamilton through referrals and in conversation by normalizing the use of all Hamilton has to offer. We really want students to get the most out of their four years at Hamilton.
