“Professional development is the ongoing process of improving one’s skills and knowledge to better perform in their existing role or to attain the skills needed to perform at a high level in a new role” (Meyer, 2023). Professional development - if done with intention - can have many positive impacts on Advising team and the institution as a whole. Investing in Advisors through meaningful development can lead to higher job satisfaction and decrease turnover. In fact, in a recent Gallup survey, 48% of American workers would switch jobs if it offered better skills training opportunities (Gallup, 2021).Professional development can lead to greater self-awareness, encourage confidence, and leadership. It also provides advisors with opportunities to learn new strategies and techniques based on NACADA's Core Competencies, which serve "as the foundational elements for effective advisor training programs and advising practice...(NACADA 2017)." Because of the benefits of professional development, Advisors at the University of Southern Maine have created a committee to continuously coordinate opportunities to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to support the success of our students, as well as, continuing to build community amongst our advising team.
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This article demonstrates ways in which an advising office can benefit from a close working relationship with a registrar’s office. Building upon historical literature, and more recent interest in the connections between these areas, the authors utilize their own experiences from working in a combined registrar and advising office at Davidson College. Providing real world examples in the common areas of reporting, training and communication can bridge gaps and highlight potential collaborative ideas. The article provides suggestions that readers can use at their home institutions. By advising and registrar offices working together, time can be saved, redundancies can be reduced, consistent messaging can thrive, and students can receive quality service.
