It’s easy to discover Nicole Pileggi’s goal when it comes to her new role at Temple Ambler. It’s right in her title — Assistant Director of Advising and Student Success.

“The definition of ‘success’ depends on the student, but I think it’s ultimately when a student achieves their personal, professional and academic goals while also getting a sense of fulfillment out of the experience,” she said. “Everyone, of course, has different goals — for one student it might be achieving a certain GPA, for another it might be completing an internship and then getting a job offer. My goal is to ensure that every student has access to the resources they need to achieve whatever their definition of success might be in terms of advising, tutoring, networking, time management and building relationships with their peers, staff and faculty members.”

Pileggi said when the Assistant Director of Advising and Student Success position was posted at Temple Ambler, “I thought it would be a great fit.”

“I felt I had a lot of the skills and experience that they were looking for, but I also knew I could learn a lot in this new role and expand my knowledge base as well,” she said. “I have been to the Ambler Campus in the past for events and I’ve always thought the campus was beautiful and a wonderful learning environment.”

Pileggi is certainly no stranger to Temple, having been part of the University community since she was a student — she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Education from Temple.

“I came to Temple initially as an undergraduate student. Temple was my number one choice,” she said. “Initially I was undecided about my degree, but I began to focus on psychology and graduated with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. It was in my sophomore year that I began a work study position in the Psychology Department then after graduation I had the opportunity to become an advisor within the program.”

Prior to joining the Temple Ambler team, Pileggi was the Senior Academic Advisor in Temple’s Psychology and Neuroscience Department, a position she began in October 2016. Prior to that role, she was an Academic Advisor and Associate Academic Advisor within the department.

As Senior Academic Advisor, Pileggi supervised the Neuroscience Student Services Specialist and day-to day-advising operations in the Psychology and Neuroscience Department; advised students enrolled in the 4+1 Master of Science in Psychological Research program and Psychology Honors program; served as a transfer expert for national and international courses; and recruited prospective students. She was additionally responsible for promoting new and existing academic programs in the university community; created professional development events for students; and managed the Psychology internship program.

“I think it’s beneficial to have had that previous experience as a student at Temple. I have been in our students’ shoes — I completely understand what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk talking with your advisor,” she said. “So, I place myself back in those shoes and think about what they might need or what they might have been a little anxious about before college or during the first semester — what resources did I wish I knew were available as an undergraduate. I can certainly point them in the right direction.”

Her initial goals in her new role at Temple Ambler, Pileggi said, include “getting to know the team, becoming familiar with orientation at the Ambler Campus and learning how best to support our specific student populations.”

“Temple Ambler is a beautiful suburban campus that provides an intimate college experience,” she said. “It’s a very close-knit community here in terms of the staff and the faculty and we’re all working toward a common goal — helping to ensure our students succeed.”

In her new role, Pileggi will be providing students support from the time of their orientation all the way through graduation. She will manage and provide comprehensive advising services to help students achieve their individual academic, career and personal goals in addition to being an advocate and referral source for students.

“Advisors should always be a great resource for  students. Our role is to provide guidance, whether it’s an academic planning question or simply a student wanting to better understand a University policy or procedure,” she said. “The key always comes down to listening — what do they need, what will help them achieve their goals. My hope is that our students have a fulfilling college experience and utilize all the resources Temple Ambler has to offer to set themselves up for success after graduation.”