Griff Center Resources and Services

Student success teams are made up of Canisius faculty and staff members that are here to support you from orientation through graduation.

Academic Advisor (primary)
• Assigned by the students’ respective academic department, this individual advises students on major requirements, meets with students to determine course registration, and mentors students in pursuit of their educational goals. The advisor is the only person that can give a student their registration pin.
• Example: Dr. Paola Fajarado-Heyward is an associate professor of political science, director of the Latin-American Studies and International Relations programs, and chair of the Student Faculty Liaison Committee of the Faculty Senate. Additionally, Dr. Fajarado-Heyward is assigned as the faculty advisor to some students in the political science department.

Success Coach
• A professional staff member who works in academic support services that can assist students with any non-advisement academic concerns and connect them with helpful campus resources. Success coaches help incoming first year students create their fall schedule, meet weekly with assigned students who are on academic probation as part of their academic recovery plan developed from the college/school associate dean, address student concerns submitted by faculty/staff, and assist with time management/study skills. Success coaches are assigned by college/school and work closely with their respective college/school associate dean.
• Example: Sierra Bonerb is the Associate Director of Support Services and her primary responsibilities are the oversight of student accessibility services, the testing center, and veteran support services. Additionally, she serves as the success coach for students in the School of Education and Human Services (A-L).

Career Coach
• A member of the Career Development team who assists students with career/major exploration, resume reviews, practice interviews, and the internship/job search.
• Example: Sheila Pettigrew is the senior assistant director of career development and her primary responsibilities include career/networking events, Griff Fair, and employer relations/stewardship. Additionally, she serves as the career coach for seniors and graduate students and specializes working with students in the job search and interview process.

Financial Aid Advisor
• A member of the financial services team who can assist you with any financial aid questions or concerns you may have.
• Example: Mary Koehneke is the associate director of Student Records and Financial Services Center and she serves as the financial aid advisor for students in the Urban Learning Leadership Community (ULLC) program and student-athletes.

Where is your Student Success Team information located?

You can find your student success team listed in your student profile here, under advisors. The neat part of your view is you can click on the name of the person and it provides the contact information. Please see our example student, Biff Tannen, below.

Students and alumni have been assigned career coaches for career-related appointments. Career coaches also refer within to best suit the student or alumni's career needs.

Eileen Abbatoy - @email 

Carol Cullinan- @email

Jennifer Patrick- @email  

The Academic Achievement team supports students through advisement of first year students, still deciding students, and student-athletes. Professional staff are available for phone/video or in-person appointments and may be scheduled via email. Students may also drop-in to our office for any general questions. 

Advisement and Course Adjustments (Drop/Add)
Current students should have met with their faculty advisor for registration assistance and received their PIN. Current students are able to make changes, but are encouraged to follow up with faculty advisors for assistance. Incoming first year students and transfer students will be able to make changes to their schedule by visiting the Academic Achievement area (Old Main 013) or by meeting with their success coach during drop/add week.  Assistance with appropriate changes can be typically made up until 5:00 p.m. on Friday of the first week of classes.  Please consult the academic calendar for more information about dates.

Student Success Assistance Program
The Student Success Assistance Program is an amazing opportunity for students to get back on track academically by taking summer courses at Canisius at a discounted rate! Any full-time undergraduate student who has not successfully completed credit hours to be considered on track for graduation or within their major can be reviewed for eligibility for the Student Success Assistance Program. Requirements needed for more than one major are not applicable.  Students must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress. Students must submit an application, completed in its entirety, to Jennifer Herrmann at @email.

Academic Achievement Location and Hours:
Old Main 013
Monday - Friday | 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Staff:
Jennifer Herrmann, Associate Dean, Student Success/Care Manager- @email 
Rachel Massaro, Director, Academic Achievement - massaror@canisius.edu 
Lindy Feider, Associate Director, Academic Achievement – @email

The Career Development team is responsible for assisting students and alumni with their career goals through strategic partnerships with employers and Canisius faculty. Please contact your designated Career Coach via email to schedule an appointment in-person, through Zoom, email or phone. 

Services available via appointment include: 
Career/Major Decision Making 
Strong Interest Inventory Debriefs 
Job and Internship Search 
LinkedIn and Handshake Profile Building 
Resume Reviews 
Cover Letter Reviews 
Practice Interviews; jobs, internships, graduate and professional school
Graduate School Search and Application Assistance 
Alumni Career Services 
Other Appointments by Request

Additional Career Development services: 
Handshake
Career Events 
On-Campus Recruitment

Career Development Location and Hours:
Horan O'Donnell 014
Monday - Friday | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Staff:
Eileen Abbatoy, Director, Career Development - @email

Carol Cullinan, Associate Director, Career Development- @email

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides accommodations to students with documented disabilities (permanent or temporary). If you are interested in registering with SAS, please call 716.888.2485, or contact us via email to schedule an appointment.  For more information please visit our website found here.

SAS Location, Hours, and Staff:
Old Main 317
Monday - Friday | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Sierra Bonerb, Director - @email 
Angela Bufalino, Assistant Director - @email

Students are able to drop in for in-person tutoring. Students are limited to 3 sessions (total of 3 hours) of tutoring services per week and must be currently enrolled in the courses for which they are receiving tutoring. Students who have a conflict with in-person hours should contact @email to see if alternate scheduling options are available. 

Tutoring Center Location and Hours:
Old Main 315

Hours:
Sun: 6pm-9pm
Mon-Thurs: 10am-7pm
Fri: 10am-1pm

Staff:
Monika McFoy, Associate Director, Support Services - @email

Canisius Cares is a website that connects you with resources, on and off campus, to support concerns that you may have. Canisius Cares can be used to find support for yourself, a classmate, friend, student, staff member, or a loved one on campus.

Canisius Cares provides information for a variety of concerns including academic, financial, mental well-being, physical health and wellness and many more. Users can look up concerns that they may be experiencing and the website will provide the best available resources to support them.

Website: https://canisius.concerncenter.com/

Canisius Cares Demo

Veteran Services located in Old Main 317 is available to all students who receive benefits. Please contact Sierra Bonerb  at 716-888-2476 or via email at @email to schedule an appointment. The Veterans Resource Center - Old Main 320 is open to all Veteran Students. 

Veteran Financial Aid and Certification 
For questions regarding Veteran aid and certification please contact Scott Badman, Assistant Director, Student Records and Financial Services at 716-888-2307 or @email. 

The Academic Mentoring Program matches students to a trained academic mentor who can provide academic support and connect students to available campus resources through regularly scheduled meetings. Academic Mentoring Program is free and open to all students who wish to have a mentor. Please fill out this form in order to be matched with an academic mentor: Academic Mentoring Request Form

Academic Mentoring Center Location and Hours:
Old Main 318 

Monday, Wednesday and Friday  9:00 am-12:00 pm
Tuesday and Thursday                    9:00am-4:00pm
 

Staff:
Katara Willis, Graduate Assistant, Academic Mentoring Center - @email

The Testing Center is a designated area for students that need testing accommodations due to a disability or to make up a missed exam. 

I missed an exam in class. Can I have a makeup exam proctored in the Testing Center?
The Testing Center is open for makeup testing on a case-by-case basis. The student is responsible for receiving permission from their professor to take a makeup exam. The time of the makeup exam must be agreed upon by the student, professor, and Testing Center staff. If you need to schedule a makeup exam, please contact the Testing Center.

Testing Center location and Hours: 
Old Main 317 
Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm 
Phone: (716)888-2485
Email: @email

In an effort to promote student success and offer academic support, workshops will be offered one on one in-person or virtually. Current workshop topics are:

• Time Management
• Study Skills
• Note Taking 
• Talking with Professors 
• Finals Preparation 
• Successful Online Learning
• Ease Test Anxiety

Students may request a workshop appointment here. 

Transfer Students may contact the following administrators for assistance based on their school within Canisius University:
College of Arts and Sciences: Dr. Jennifer Desiderio, @email & Dr. Julie Gibert, @email
Wehle School of Business: Laura McEwen, @email
School of Education: Dr. Lorrei DiCamillo, @email

Students who are in need of a laptop are able to borrow a laptop on a semester-by-semester basis. To do this, please fill out the attached form to join the waitlist.

There are many study spaces on campus students can reserve for study and synchronous online learning purposes.

Library Study Rooms
⋅ There are 12 study rooms in the Library that are available to reserve.
⋅ If students would like to reserve a study room, please direct them here. These rooms are available during regular Library operating hours.

Study Center

• Located in Old Main 311, the Study Center provides students with a quiet place to read or study. 

Additional places for students to study on campus:
⋅ Tutoring Center (Old Main 315) 
⋅ Commuter Lounge (Student Center – lower level)
⋅ Health Science Building Lounges
⋅ Library
⋅ Old Main: 2nd – 4th floors Lounges
⋅ Science Hall Commons (available for study 8:30am – 4pm; The Commons will be used for event space after 4pm)⋅ 
⋅ Science Hall Atrium
⋅ Veteran’s Resource Center (Old Main 304)

View the academic calendar for the 2024-2025 academic year here