Herkimer College appoints advisement center specialists

Herkimer County Community College has appointed Matthew J. Babula, of Marcy, NY, and Charlotte R. Whitney, of Utica, NY, as specialists in the Academic Advisement Center.

Babula comes to the College from Notre Dame Junior-Senior High School in Utica, where he served as a school counselor for grades nine through twelve. He also has experience as a counselor at Central Valley Central School District and Little Falls City School District, as well as Mohawk Valley Community College where he served as an academic advisor.

Babula is a 2008 MVCC alum and went on to earn a B.A. in psychology from SUNY Institute of Technology (now SUNY Polytechnic Institute) and an M.S. in education-school counseling from the College of Saint Rose.

Whitney has a background in collegiate residential life. She most recently served as the assistant coordinator of residential life at PrattMWP College of Art and Design in Utica and previously was the residence director of Alfred State College. Whitney also worked at Colgate University as a residential life administrative assistant and at Le Moyne College in academic advising and support.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cazenovia College and an M.A. in higher education administration from Stony Brook University. Whitney also has certificates in Advising Undecided Students and Academic Success and the Student-Athlete from the National Academic Advising Association.

In their new role in Herkimer College’s Academic Advisement Center, Babula and Whitney will guide their assigned advisees by explaining and educating them on the requirements of their respective degree programs, counseling them if there’s interest in changing majors, and assisting students with creating first semester schedules during Registration Days and throughout the summer/winter.