Jonathan Ragone
Director
Pronouns: He/Him/His
[email protected]
Meet Your Academic Advisor
The Office of Undergraduate Student Services and Advising is the home of the professional advising team and we are here to help you. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to us as we are happy to assist.
In SEAS, the primary advisor for all first year students is the professional advisor and the primary advisor for every sophomore, junior, and senior is their major-specific faculty advisor. For more information including how to contact your primary advisor, please review the information below.
Office of Undergraduate Student Services and Advising
The Office of Undergraduate Student Services and Advising is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET with the exception of University holidays. The office location is Science and Engineering Hall Suite 2500 (2nd Floor) and you can check-in at the Student Services Front Desk.
Contact us: [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-537-SEAS or 202-994-6158
Visit us: Science & Engineering Hall - Suite 2500
Utilizing Your Professional Advisor
The SEAS Professional Advising team is available via email and phone as well as individual virtual and in-person appointments. In addition, your Professional Advisor will host group advising sessions and workshops throughout the year.
We utilize a variety of virtual meeting tools including Zoom, Webex or Google Meet as well in person meeting spaces in Science and Engineering Hall (SEH) Suite 2500 to meet with students. Please consult your professional advisor’s online appointment calendar to find when they are available and whether the format would be virtual or in-person.
Additionally, there are a variety of ways to communicate with your professional advisor including:
Ways to Meet and Communicate
Your Professional Advisor is available to answer emails Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. The best place to email is [email protected], although you are welcome to contact your Professional Advisor via their individual work email as well. Email is the best option for short, simple questions (e.g. What date do I register?).
Note: when emailing any advisor it is important to include your GWID. For security purposes, it is also important to send your message from your GW email account.
During the Fall and Spring semester when classes are in session, all advisors will have 20-minute virtual and in-person appointments Monday through Friday in both the morning and afternoon (ET). If your advisor’s posted hours do not work with your schedule, please email [email protected] or email your advisor directly through his/her individual work email.
Is available during the Fall and Spring semester when classes are in session, Drop-in sessions are limited to 5-10 minutes and are best for short, simple questions. Students with more in-depth questions (e.g. four-year planning, study abroad) should schedule an appointment with their assigned advisor directly. Please note: the on-call advisor for drop-in advising may not be your assigned advisor.
Drop-in Advising for all majors are Wednesdays between 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM in SEH Suite 2500. You can check-in at the front desk to determine who is available that day.
Additionally, your Professional Advisor will host a number of group advising workshops throughout the year including, but not limited to, rising senior pre-clearances, study abroad, and general first-year advising. Information about how to access these sessions will be made available during specific periods of the academic year and students will be contacted by email with instructions on how to register.
Periodically, your advisor may advertise additional advising hours dedicated to special advising topics, such as academic success meetings, goal setting/academic planning and graduation clearances. . These sessions are typically scheduled for 20 to 30 minutes and will be available through the appointment system.
If you would like to request a call back from a professional advisor, please submit this form and someone from the advising team will get back to you within one business day. Note: during busy times, if we are able to resolve your inquiry you may receive a response via email in lieu of a phone call.
Meet the Professional Advising Team
Jonathan Ragone is the director of undergraduate student services, advising, and records for the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Jonathan comes to SEAS from Stony Brook University in New York, where he formerly was the associate director for undergraduate colleges. During his career, Jonathan has worked in both student and academic affairs, while holding a variety of positions as a residence hall director, assistant director for college housing, academic coordinator for the graduate program in public health, and associate director for undergraduate colleges.
Jonathan received a Bachelor of Science in biology and Master of Arts in liberal studies with a concentration in human resources and education. Additionally, Jonathan has taught undergraduate courses on leadership as part of the Living Learning Center for Leadership Development and its associated academic minor.
Najja Ogundiran
Assistant Director for Academic Advising
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
[email protected]
Najja Ogundiran is the Assistant Director for Academic Advising and leads the SEAS undergraduate advising team. Najja received her undergraduate degree in English from Howard University and a law degree from Stetson University. She has experience in academic advising and financial aid.
Advises: All current and prospective students in Applied Science + Technology, Civil Engineering, and Systems Engineering; Select current and prospective Engineering- Undecided students
Kendra Lewis
Senior Professional Academic Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
[email protected]
Kendra Lewis is one of the senior professional advisors that makes up the SEAS undergraduate advising team. Prior to joining our team, Kendra served as the Program Management Specialist and as an Academic Advisor in the College of Computer, Mathematics, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland. Kendra has also held various positions in rehabilitation agencies as a behavioral health professional. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from San Diego State University, where she also served as an undergraduate peer mentor.
Advises: All current and prospective students in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Engineering; Current and prospective students in Computer Science student with Last Name A - K; Select current and prospective Engineering- Undecided students
Megha Patel
Senior Professional Academic Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
[email protected]
Megha Patel earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Southeast Missouri State University. She has been working in the higher educational sector for over 5 years now and enjoys counseling students on a various topics related to academic and career advising. In her free time, she loves travelling and exploring new cities.
Advises: All current and prospective students in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering; Current and prospective students in Computer Science student with Last Name L - Z; Select current and prospective Engineering- Undecided students
Elizabeth Cho
Student Services Coordinator, Computer Science
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
[email protected]
Elizabeth Cho is the Student Services Coordinator for Computer Science for the SEAS Office of Undergraduate Student Services, Advising, and Records.
Elizabeth received her BA in History from UCLA and her M.Ed in Prevention Science and Practice from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has experience working in Academic and Career Advising with undergraduate engineering students and was previously a Professional Advisor in SEAS.
Advises: Computer Science minors and double major students
Rachel Arno
Student Services Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Rachel Arno is a Student Services Coordinator for the SEAS Office of Undergraduate Student Services, Advising, and Records.
Rachel has held a variety of roles in Academic and Student Affairs including residence life, undergraduate admission, academic advising, academic tutoring, and transfer advising. She received her Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Rhode Island College and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, with a concentration in Human Resource Management, from Stony Brook University.
To contact Rachel, email: [email protected]
Faculty Advisors by Major
Contacting your Faculty Advisor
Your faculty advisor is available to meet with you throughout the academic year, and the best way to schedule this appointment is to contact them via email. Additionally, many faculty advisors will have regularly scheduled office hours so do not hesitate to ask them if this is the case. Lastly, some questions may be easily discussed over email, so you are welcome to reach out to them via email as well.
Additional Student Services Support
Alexis Renderos
Dean’s Fellow
Academic Success and Retention
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
[email protected]
202-994-6158
Alyssa Ilaria
Dean’s Fellow
Peer Mentorship and the Student Experience
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
[email protected]
202-994-6158
Nathan Pen
Dean’s Fellow
Co-Curricular Engagement: Study Abroad, Undergraduate Research, and Leadership Development
[email protected]
202-994-6158
