WORD SEARCH: How to Build Relationships with Faculty

By Inaara Rajwani, MPH’23 in Behavioral, Social, Health, and Education Sciences (BSHES)

Developing a relationship with faculty can lead to beneficial opportunities, such as future research opportunities, letters of recommendation, connections to an internship or job, and having a mentor in your preferred field of interest. It is important to take that extra step to make yourself known, since it may be difficult for them to know you personally behind a large crowd of students.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ yourself within the first few weeks of the semester
It is important to do this task during the first few weeks of the semester since faculty will be flexible and available for getting to know their prospective students. If you do not have any specific questions, attend their office hours to acknowledge your name, year, major, where you are from, interest in attending their class, and what you hope to grasp at the end of the course. Having a connection off the bat will help you stand out among your other classmates

Attend _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Taking time out of your week to deliver this task will show your genuine interest in their course material. During this time, other students may be interested to ask specific questions about the course. If you do not, a few topics to prepare beforehand is asking about study advice, upcoming assignments, recommended readings, mistakes students have made in previous years, or career advice.

Be _ _ _ _ _ _ __ during class
Ways to deliver this task to sit in the first few rows of the classroom for the professor to be able to recognize yourself. Sitting anywhere else, may have you blend in with the other crowd of students. To be consistent, sit in the same general area every class and ask/answer questions periodically.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ in the discussion
This will demonstrate that you are confident to speak in front of large groups of people and care about going the extra mile for your education. I would not recommend raising your hand for every question, to give other students an opportunity too but if the professor is seeking for participation, raise your hand if you are able to answer their question.

_ _ _ _ _ _ Sessions
Many will take granted on the opportunity to attend these events. Attending even if you are confident on the subject will demonstrate that you are interested in succeeding in the material.

Stay in _ _ _ _ __ after the semester ends
After the semester ends, update the professor about professional achievements and thank you for their role and time in helping you in those accomplishments. Why should you build a relationship?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ about future career options and networking
Professionals in graduate school know about the options for students’ post-graduation. To get the inside scope of the preferred field of work and gain insight on different career paths that suits you. Professors may know the competitive market about the employment rate and projected job growth concerning a particular position to help a student make their decision.

They are a built-in _ _ _ _ _ _
Professors are the best to seek information tips on how to be successful. They are a great resource for finding ways to fulfill graduation requirements or even know entry-level positions during or after completing your degree.

They are a great _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
When students need a recommendation letter, a professional or educational reference from a professor that knows the student best is the way to go. When applying to post-graduate school or a position in their field, utilizing a professor as a reference will increase their chances of acceptance.

Please Note: Answers are below!!