Conversational advising is an advising pedagogy in which the advisor foregoes an authoritative position, and, by doing so, actively creates a learning space where knowledge about each student and his or her unique academic and career plan can be discovered through conversation.

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rapport, role of advisor, advising strategy, rapport, Trevor Francis, advising approaches, build relationships, reflection

With generous support from NACADA for the research study “An Examination of Academic Advice Seeking within an Emerging Adulthood Framework,” we collected data on more than 200 students’ behaviors, preferences, and opinions to assist in informing advising policies.

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advising strategy, research, build relationships, Janice Stapley, Jennifer Noonan

Thanks to a flexible curriculum and customized pedagogy, advisors in first-year seminars have the opportunity to help students shape their academic goals and map out the necessary steps and skills to achieve them.

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decision-making, build relationships, community relationships, Garance Blanchot-Aboubi

It is important for advisors to remember that the higher education transition for students does take time.  And sometimes, perhaps many times, a student will try their very best and be unsuccessful.  One of our jobs is to help them as they navigate the uncomfortable growth process surrounding those experiences.

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communication, build relationships, Rebecca Hapes, active listening, empathy

Race, ethnicity, and culture are powerful variables that influence the way that people behave, think, perceive, and define events. Academic Advising for African Americans can be complex and requires specific skills and knowledge from the in order to establish a more safe and welcoming environment that fosters a humanizing, holistic, and proactive approach.

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academic support, cultural differences, build relationships, advising environment, advisor competencies, cultural capital, Terrance McClain

As trends in higher education shift from the recruitment of students towards retention, colleges and universities across the country are becoming more intentional about services and programming that will not only aid in their ability to keep students on campuses, but will assist with the student’s ability to accomplish their goals.

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encouraging students, build relationships, at-risk students, first generation students, Dionne Gordon-Starks

Advisors use dozens of tools to aid students, including advising styles, recommendations, curricula, academic coaching, and more.  Any one of these may be appropriate with different students, or with the same students at different times.  But when advisors’ roles can include teaching, reviewing a checklist, making referrals, and more, how does the advisor know when to use which tool, when to offer a checklist, and when to engage in behavior counseling?

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NACADA, Academic Advising Today, academic advising, advising strategy, advising approaches, build relationships, active listening, Ann Lieberman Colgan

Successful engagement in strong communication, problem-solving, and rapport-building skills – those critical to the relational component of advising – requires emotional intelligence. Without it, advising is little more than authoritative information dissemination.

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NACADA, Academic Advising Today, academic advising, communication, build relationships, advisor competencies, active listening, Lauren Haley

The authors highlight Gen Z-friendly methods that they have used to promote student engagement in appointments, on campus, and in the community.

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advising strategy, communication, build relationships, Bret Hirsch, Eddie Bobbitt, GenZ, Generation Z

: In efforts to provide active support for retaining first-time, full-time freshmen, the School of Business Administration at Portland State University (PSU) decided to hire a full-time advisor dedicated to supporting this population.  The purpose of the First Year Programs Advisor was to research the needs of the freshmen population, manage and analyze retention data, and develop advising-based programs and resources (as well as last-minute, drop-in advising) that meet the needs of those students. The author discusses the research done on retention and the programs developed out of that research.

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advising strategy, retention, build relationships, Nathanial Garrod