ACC Staff Spotlight - Brittany Blei
What is your job at ACC?
Academic Advisor for Business, Arts, Design and Technology Majors
What do you do at ACC (explain your role)?
There are a lot of aspects that come with being an academic advisor. The one aspect that is most important to me is being an advocate and an ally. As a student, I understand how incredibly important it was to have people in your corner. I hope to be that person for others.
As a student, it can be challenging to navigate the different areas of college and that is where I come in. I help students get connected to ACC and community resources to support their short and long term goals. I am here as a listening ear to help work through any challenges or questions that are coming up during their time at ACC. Advisors do focus a majority of their time on academics; however, my role is providing holistic support to make the college experience easier!
How long have you been at ACC?
A little over a year now!
Why did you choose ACC?
I have worked in many colleges previously, many years in downtown Denver. The big city feel was challenging to find a tight knit community. Arapahoe Community College has that metropolitan feel, but with a large community. The culture within ACC is hard to compare to other institutions with the ambitious students, dedicated professors, and staff members that contribute to the overall success of ACC. I am also a little biased as I grew up in Littleton and wanted to support my hometown! Community colleges are just an incredible environment overall. It is an area for students to explore their passions, and align their visions for education and their careers. So much growth happening, it is amazing to see the changes in just a few years. There is nothing else like it!
What is your mountain (ultimate goal)?
This is always a tough question to answer. I just recently reached the top of a mountain by completing my Master's Degree in Counseling as a first generation student. I will always have a life long goal to continue learning and advancing in my knowledge and skills.
What's your favorite ACC memory so far?
I started my position during the COVID pandemic. One of my favorite memories was physically coming into ACC for one of our events. A year later, I was able to meet most of my team, and to have face-to-face interactions with students. It was like we have always been on-campus this past year.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
I spend a lot of time with my rescue puppy. His name is Mr. Magoo. We spend a lot of time adventuring around Colorado and sleeping!
Top 5 Guilty Pleasures
- Binge watching reality tv or Netflix
- Shopping (online, amazon, malls, you name it!)
- Taking mid-day naps
- Looking at million dollar homes on Zillow (a girl can dream)
- Iced coffee
What is your advice to future and current students at ACC?
I believe the most important part of the college experience is to be your genuine self. You are not meant to fit in a certain box; this is the best time to explore who you are. Along the way, be kind to yourself and trust the process. Also, one of the hardest lessons I learned as a student was the ability to fail at something. With failure comes the biggest learning moments and growth. Try your best to get out of your comfort zone (whether you fail or succeed) and make the most of your experiences here
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