Student populations have converged on the campuses in larger numbers during this recession. According to Mequon counselor Julie Klug, many of these students have been out of the college environment for quite awhile and may be sitting right next to you in class.

Many people are dealing with foreclosures, unemployment and many other personal issues that may make the college experience a bit more challenging. This is a situation Klug is well aware of.

At the Mequon campus, Klug used to see one or two students a day and now she is averaging around four to five students daily.

Adds Klug, “There used to be a great stigma with that. And now I’m happy to say that society is starting to look at it (in terms of) how can you take care of yourself.”

Klug mentions that students talk with her regarding anything that comes up in their life. “Often they will say here’s what’s going on. And it’s really interfering with my studies. And I’m worried about it. Can you help me? And then we put our heads together,” adds Klug. “I’m just glad that people are coming in.”

Starting her counseling career at Oak Creek, Klug was Interim Director at the Milwaukee Campus and has been at Mequon for a year and a half as the Counselor, Student Services.

“Even if you don’t live in Ozaukee County, you can come in and I will do whatever I can,” says Klug.

Klug explains that the counseling services initially focus on the student’s career directive, guiding them through the first semester with course suggestions.

But as for the next semester, the faculty advisors step in to aid the students in choosing classes for their program.

“And I think at Mequon, that’s really a very successful program because we have great faculty out here. Our faculty members (in the) technical programs are the experts,” adds Klug.

Another aspect to Klug’s, “many hats” is career counseling. “That’s really big right now because of so many dislocated workers,” says Klug. Centered on group activities, individuals explore college majors and careers.

If need be, the individual can meet one-on-one with Klug for career directions or pay a small fee for advanced assessments such as the Strong Interest Inventory Report and the MBTI (Meyers Briggs) personality assessment.

The colleges computer systems look at Accuplacer test scores to determine if the student is a full admit.

It allows the counselor to spend less time in the admissions arena and more time with an individual student.

This is a vision that Klug shares with her colleagues of being able to apply their training so, “We’re just dealing with people and how (we can) help them to be successful,” said Klug.

Recently, Klug started a dislocated workers support group at Mequon and is planning one for veterans.