A message from NACADA Board of Directors, Teri Farr
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Higher education professionals have reported an increase in student’s needs for access to mental health care and students’ feelings around disconnectedness. Institutions may be able to respond to some of these challenges through various support services such as counseling and emergency funding. At the same time, students working with campus advisors may decide that taking a step away from college for the moment is the best decision for them. This article provides insight into the ways in which advisors may still be a valuable resource while students are temporarily not enrolled in an institution in order to support a smooth return to campus.
At-risk adult learners face a myriad of challenges when it comes to degree completion. In order to effectively build relationships with this population, student affairs professionals should be aware of their communication strategies. Utilizing Social Penetration Theory and the Appreciative Advising model can allow for student affairs professionals to form a stream-lined communication plan with these at-risk adult learners, in order to help them be successful.
Academic advisors help students achieve their goals and earn degrees, but few studies explore advisors’ own educational backgrounds. This paper reports findings from a survey—distributed through the NACADA listserv—on the experiences of 430 advisors with advanced degrees. The survey asked questions about advisors’ educational backgrounds, including types of degrees and majors, the academic activities they participate in (teaching and research), the advantages and drawbacks to having an advanced degree, and how their degrees impact their advising. After a summary of these findings, there are recommendations for how institutions of higher learning could improve advisor satisfaction and strengthen universities.
In this article, two STEM advisors share their perspectives on the challenges of advising for technical disciplines that can lead to dissatisfaction or burnout. The authors also provide recommendations for advising staff and administrators on how to cultivate higher job satisfaction among advisors of all disciplines.
The authors share their experiences of the transition from working with traditional undergraduate students to working with graduate and professional students, highlighting the need for more literature, resources, and support for those advising graduate and professional students.
What kinds of learning behaviors do Chinese students have? Why are these learning behaviors so different from students in western countries? This article will display some typical learning behaviors of Chinese students and explain reasons behind them from a cultural perspective, help international academic advisors build a deep understanding on Chinese students and offer more personalized and professional service.
Play can be beneficial in academic advising as it can be used to help students make decisions, explore options, and create plans. Additionally, play can assist students in solving conflicts and sharing values, both of which help students make educated decisions regarding their college choices. Examples of types of play in all six phases of appreciative advising (disarm, discover, dream, design, deliver, don't settle) are discussed, as well as ways advisors can engage in play themselves.
First-generation college students' (FGCS) challenges to a successful college transition were magnified during the height of COVID-19. With the return to normalcy, FGCS continue to face barriers and the effects of COVID-19. We utilize Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to conceptualize FGCS experiences and provide practical implications to support FGCS.
