Fall Site Visits with KGSP Advisors

Just as leaves on trees start to change color and the air gets crisp, KGSP Advisors begin visiting students in college towns across the U.S. In September and October 2025, the KGSP Advising team visited 26 universities to meet with students, campus partners, and other student resource offices.

One-on-one student meetings cover all sorts of topics, including summer enrichment, academic planning, and, for seniors, preparing to apply to KAUST. They are critical for building a strong advising relationship, and they offer dedicated time for discussing goals, challenges, and academic development. As KGSP Advisor Leah Jeedas explains, “Site visits are a great opportunity for [me] to see how students are settling into their classes and life on campus. We want all of our students to feel comfortable on campus and excited to be at their universities."

^{KGSP Advising Director, Shannon Gibson, meeting a KGSP student at the University of Washington.}

Zainab Alyosha, a senior at the University of California, Berkeley studying Energy Engineering, said “I really enjoyed meeting my advisor in-person and having meaningful discussions while getting help from her. Her visit helped me feel more connected to the KGSP community. We had dinner together, talked about our educational journeys and future goals, and it was amazing to feel that sense of belonging. Her visit reassured me that I’m part of a supportive community of staff and peers, and that the KGSP family will always be an important part of my journey.”

^{KGSP Advisor Sam Lebow meeting UC-Berkeley students for a group meal.}

During visits, KGSP Advisors also explore the resources on-campus – sometimes stopping by the dining hall, lecture halls, the student center, or the engineering labs. Because KGSP Advisors provide holistic and comprehensive advising, it is critically important they have an overall sense of the campus and know how KGSP students can thrive on-campus.

While these site visits serve as an essential way that KGSP Advisors connect with their students, Advisors also know that KGSP students don’t just spend time in classrooms and at the library. Advisors often check out the campus’ surrounding areas, including the main neighborhoods just off campus where many of our KGSP students live. For example, during a recent visit to the University of Colorado, Boulder, Ted Helms hosted a dinner for our four KGSP students at University Hill (aka ‘The Hill). The Hill connects the University of Colorado campus with the historic University Hills neighborhood and is packed with restaurants, coffee, and shops.

^{KGSP Advisor Kristen Olsen sharing a meal with KGSP students from the University of Maryland and the George Washington University.}

Ted notes that spending time on and around campus “gives me a unique insight into the culture and society of the institutions in which I advise students.  Meeting students in person adds a more personal touch to advising which builds a strong foundation that lasts throughout the advisor-student relationship.  Instead of seeing the advisor as a voice on the other end of a phone call, the student sees the advisor as part of their community and someone that they can trust as a partner through their academic career.”

On a recent visit to the University of California, Berkeley, Advisors Leah Jeedas and Sam Lebow took a similar approach, splitting their time between on-campus meetings and off-campus exploration. They hosted a dinner for 44 University of California, Berkeley students and created a casual and informal way for students to get to know each other. Fahad Alhendi, a Freshman at Berkeley studying Chemical Engineering highlighted how exciting it is to be at Berkeley, saying: Berkeley’s prime location makes it easy to split my academics and campus life. If I need a break, I can take the BART to San Francisco with my friends, or just walk around Downtown, which the campus is right next to. There is also no shortage of diverse restaurants and cafes to go to!

One of the highlights of the KGSP Advising role are these campus visits, and it is exciting to see KGSP thrive in their academic communities!  

^{KGSP Advisor Yulia Hanson meeting with KGSP students at the University of Chicago.}