Ohio State Lima’s Senior Academic Advisor William “Billy” Foster is well-known throughout campus for his involvement and dedication to student success. With a drive to help others, Foster ’17 works on various projects and administrative duties for the betterment of students. Additionally, he dedicates much time to meeting with students one-on-one, and guiding them in their academic journey at Ohio State.
“My day to day here at Ohio State varies…” Foster said, prompted to discuss his typical work day. He spends time doing the typical advisor duties one would expect, such as communicating with students and staff members. He also dedicates his time to making sure students are not only on track academically but that they meet the requirements needed to achieve their higher education dreams. As the pre-law advisor at Ohio State Lima, he guides pre-law students on what they should do in order to be most successful law school applicants and one day students.
Aside from his advising tasks, Foster collaborates in various initiatives to implement positive change on the Lima campus. One example of these initiatives is the Early Alert system. It has always had a presence at Ohio State Lima, and Foster and the advising office have pushed it to be a more beneficial tool. Early alerts help students succeed in their academics by recognizing when they may be struggling in a class and creating a network of communication with students and faculty. Additionally, they open the conversation of the many resources available, such as counseling, disability services and tutoring. Due to these early alerts, students are able to connect with resources in a timely manner to ensure their success in classes.
As the recently inducted president of the Ohio State Alumni Club of Allen County, Foster has been working to bring new events, participation and excitement to the club.
“The Ohio State Alumni Club of Allen County focuses on engagement, networking and giving back to the community,” Foster said.
With this focus in mind, Foster has been utilizing this mindset to start planning for many community events and outreach, including networking events for soon-to-be grads, community service projects and social opportunities. The club is also dedicated to the betterment of the community, awarding $1,000 to six Allen County students planning to attend Ohio State and partnering with the civic center for a couple events such as a watch party for the Ohio State-Oregon football game.
“The watch party allowed current members to interact with the Lima community and recruit new members regardless if they were Ohio State alumni or Ohio State fans,” Foster said.
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Chloe Etzkorn is a psychology student at The Ohio State University at Lima who wrote this story as part of a "Rhetoric in Action: The Spotlight Article" assignment in English 2276. Each student chose an Ohio State Lima alumni, student, faculty or staff member to profile.