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Opening Keynote

Academic Advising and Student Retention: A Winning Combination (Pandemic or No Pandemic)

Aaron W. Hughey​ | Western Kentucky University

Dr. Aaron W. Hughey is a University Distinguished Professor and Program Coordinator in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at Western Kentucky University, where he oversees the master’s degree program in Student Affairs in Higher Education, as well as graduate certificate programs in International Student Services and Career Services.

Before joining the faculty in 1991, he spent 10 years in progressive administrative positions, including five years as the Associate Director of University Housing at WKU. He was also Head of the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs for five years before returning to the faculty full-time in 2008. Dr. Hughey has degrees from the University of Tennessee at Martin (Secondary Education – Biological Science), the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (Educational Psychology), Western Kentucky University (Counselor Education – Student Personnel Services), and Northern Illinois University (Educational Administration with an Emphasis in Higher Education).

He has authored (or co-authored) over 60 refereed publications on a wide range of issues including student learning and development, recruitment and retention, leadership, standardized testing, diversity and educational administration. He regularly presents at national and international conferences and consults extensively with companies and schools. He also provides training programs and conducts webinars for multiple organizations on a variety of topics centered on evidence-based best practices. The increasingly important and still-evolving role of academic advising as an integral component of effective student retention initiatives is one of his specialties.

Closing Keynote

What is Your Why and How Your Why Can Help Students Find Theirs

Susan L. Hawkins-Wilding | Ivy Tech Community College

Susan L. Hawkins-Wilding is Assistant Vice President for Academic Advising at Ivy Tech Community College. She provides college-wide leadership and oversight of academic, career, and transfer advising. Additionally she chairs the statewide Student Retention and Success Council and collaborates with academic and student affairs, financial aid and Ivy Tech Workforce Alignment.

Prior to working at Ivy Tech Community College, she served as Director of Advising and Career Services at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where she led and administered advising and career programming, managed program growth goals and retention projects. She has also served as Director for The Exploration of Vocation at The College of Wooster in Ohio where she managed a five million dollar grant and coordinated vocational exploration programing and experiential student experiences. Additionally, she has held positions as Coordinator of Student Services at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, and Academic Advisor for the Alternatives Program at The Ohio State University.

Hawkins-Wilding earned a Master of Arts in Educational Policy and Leadership from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Youngstown State University. Her areas of interest within Higher Education include academic and career advising integration, service learning, assessment, and non-verbal communication. Her greatest joy is helping people align their interests, skills, and values to their world of work.

 

Join us for this virtual event, joining NACADA members from Region 3 and Region 5 for the 2021 Virtual Region Conference April 7-8, 2021.

This two-day conference experience will feature 

  • six concurrent sessions with five live/semi-live sessions and several on-demand sessions.
  • two keynote addresses from advising professionals on current topics.
  • an orientation for new members and first time attendees to learn more about NACADA, the conference, and your specific region.
  • a connection/networking time for each Commonwealth, District, Province, State, or Territory.
  • a networking session hosted by your region’s conference committee.
  • an awards ceremony with a Region update for both Regions.
  • an optional virtual wellness activity.
  • informal networking with advising professionals through the conference app. 

A recording of each session will be available for 45 days after the conference, so you'll be able to watch (or re-watch) as many sessions as you would like.  

Early registration ends at 11:59 p.m. central Wednesday, March 31. 
Registration closes at noon Tuesday, April 6. 

Conference Schedule
 

List of Sessions | See session titles and abstracts.
Schedule at a Glance