In this episode of Drop-Ins, hosts Molly Clock and Ryan Howlett sit down with Steve Schaffling, Assistant Dean for Student Success in Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, to answer a question many students never quite figure out: who is my advisor, and why does that relationship matter?

Steve pulls back the curtain on what a dean actually does, shares his own undergraduate experience as a commuter student juggling a long drive and a part-time job, and explains why Arts and Sciences and Maxwell students are paired with one advisor for both academic and career guidance. He makes the case that a strong advising relationship is not transactional — it is a genuine partnership that helps students connect their coursework, their experiences, and their goals into a coherent path forward.

The conversation also covers when and how students should first reach out to their advisor, what to do if you have not engaged with your advisor in a while, and how the office's integrated academic and career model — including its Alumni Connections Program — gives students a head start on answering the question, what am I going to do with this degree?

Whether you have never met your advisor or are simply not sure what they can help with, this episode makes the case for treating that relationship as one of the most valuable resources on campus.