Junior Jam: Get Prepared Class of 2022

On Thursday, April 22, multiple campus resource directors held a zoom session to go over the next steps for juniors transitioning to become seniors, and important events to keep on the calendar. 

By Ally Sullivan
News Reporter 

Listen up current Juniors, it is almost time to step into your last year at SMC and it’s time to start preparing. Thanks to the wonderful Judy Selland, multiple resources are available, and I’ve got it all wrapped up for you. Here is what you need to know:

Aeleah Soine, Director of Advising, works with both students and faculty on both planning and scheduling to keep students on track. To graduate, students must have completed 36 institute credits, as well as met all of SMC’s general requirements. However, going into your final year, you should not need more than 9 credits, and if this is the case, reach out to your advisor immediately to go over summer transfer course information. Soine reiterates that the most common issue among seniors is not having met the 36 credit requirements, making it so they may not be able to graduate. 

Paula Conrad, from the Career Center, offers an array of excellent resources to focus on life after graduation from one-on-one appointments with career strategists to workshops for perfecting your cover letter, resume, and interview skills. Senior Career chats are mandatory through the Career Center, and more information will be coming your way regarding how to sign-up for one next spring. More information on these events and how to register or sign up can be found through the Handshake portal. Conrad shares that the Career Center will also be available in Fall 2021 for in-person sessions in Filippi Academic Hall 190. 

Mark Tapiarene, Director of Student Accounts, maintains students financial accounts while fielding questions regarding billing and transactions. Tapiarene offered up a list of important dates I have included below: 

End of May - Insurance waiver period 
June 1- Optional fall payment plan opens 
July 5 - Fall 2021 ebills launched 
August 15 - Payment due for Fall 2021
August 15 - Insurance waiver deadline 
December 6 - Spring 2022 ebills launched 
January 15 - Payments due for Spring 2022


The best piece of advice for a current junior or any student is to check your email frequently for date changes or new information. Also, keep your head up for a bill notice of a $115 degree fee. After filing for graduation, it is important to make sure you pay this before the actual ceremony to ensure there are no setbacks on receiving your diploma. 

All the information above comes from the Junior Jam session and can be found on the SMC Student Success page, included below. On behalf of the Class of 2022, I would like to thank all the individuals that took time out of their busy schedules to help get us prepared for the upcoming year and our fantastic futures. 

Author’s Note:
For more information please follow the link below: 

https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/student-success