You're Closer to Your Degree Than You Think: What Academic Advising at TESU Actually Looks Like

Episode 19 of the Edison Sound Stage Podcast

A conversation about academic advising, adult learners and the relationships that change everything.

Most students come to their first advising appointment with a question about credits.

Amy Immordino comes to every appointment with something more — a genuine curiosity about who the student is, where they've been and how far they can go.

In this episode of “Coffee and Tea with the Student Trustee,” a special series of Edison Sound Stage, Student Trustee Pamela Tucker sits down with the advisor who helped her earn an associate degree in less than six months, pushed her toward her bachelor's and nominated her for one of the most visible student leadership roles at Thomas Edison State University.

This is a conversation nearly 20 years in the making about the human side of higher education and why scheduling just one advising appointment might be the most important thing you do this year.

Listen to Episode 19

Available on: Apple Podcasts | Podbean | YouTube | Spotify | iHeart

Episode Length: 29 minutes | Perfect for: Your commute, workout or lunch break

What You'll Discover in This Episode

"One Size Does Not Fit All"

With hundreds of students to advise, Amy Immordino could be forgiven for running through appointments on autopilot. She doesn't.

Her guiding principle — borrowed from her supervisor and practiced every single day — is that every student is different. Some arrive ready to run. Others need reassurance and room to breathe. Her job is knowing which is which and adjusting accordingly.

"I adjust my advising individually and intentionally as needed," she says.

For adult learners managing careers, families and the emotional weight of returning to school, that distinction isn't just thoughtful — it's everything.

The Thank-You Email That Started It All

Here's a small detail with a big lesson buried in it.

After her very first advising appointment with Amy, Pamela Tucker sent a thank-you email. She didn't think much of it. Amy never forgot it.

"Even before I sent you a recap email, I got that thank-you email," Amy tells Pamela in the episode. "It's something so small, but it made such an impression."

What happened next? Watch the episode to see how that single gesture set the stage for everything that followed — including a nomination that Pamela never saw coming.

Real Students. Real Words. Real Proof.

Some of the most powerful moments in this conversation don't come from Pamela or Amy at all. They come from graduates who wrote Amy's name on their commencement attendance forms.

One student earned his degree at 54 years old, decades after leaving college to start a career. Another balanced full-time work and coaching while completing his bachelor’s and is already planning to come back for his master's.

Could you already be closer to your degree than you think?

What an Advising Appointment Can Actually Unlock

This is the part most students don't know about until they show up.

In the episode, Amy walks through the opportunities that often go untapped — the ones that only come up in conversation:

Stackable credentials that build your resume before you even cross the stage. Credit-by-exams that let you move faster than a traditional course schedule. Prior learning assessment that may turn your professional experience into college credit. The accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program that lets eligible students get a head start on graduate coursework — at the undergraduate tuition rate.

None of it requires anything more than booking an appointment.

Her Advice for Students Who Don't Know Where to Start

If you've been meaning to reach out to an advisor but haven't, Amy's message is simple: we're waiting to hear from you.

"We would not know what you're going through unless you contact us," she says. "Making an academic advising appointment can open up so many additional doors."

What does she want every student listening to take away? She prepared notes. Watch to learn exactly what she said.

Don't Miss This Conversation

This isn't just an episode about academic advising. It's about what happens when someone decides to see your potential before you can see it yourself — and what becomes possible when you let them.

Watch the full video on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform to discover:

• The moment Pamela realized she was closer to her bachelor's degree than she ever imagined
• Why Amy thinks the first advising appointment is the most important one
• The family legacy that shaped Amy's approach to her work
• Practical steps you can take today if you're thinking about returning to school

Listen or watch Coffee and Tea with the Student Trustee on Edison Sound Stage below.

Start Your Own Journey

After listening to Amy’s advice, are you ready to take the first step? Schedule your appointment and connect with an academic advisor at TESU.