Welcome to this website where you can find resources, advice, and research related to the academic advising division of student affairs. This website explores the ways in which academic advisors can support their students through their own personal, academic, and professional development through this role as their academic advisor.

Students generally pursue a degree in higher education as a significant stepping stone to their personal and professional development. The education they will receive in college will be key in shaping who they are and where they are going upon graduation.  The flexibility to choose, change, add degree programs and specializations in the United States increases the responsibility on the academic advisor to help the student make what may be a very defining choice—their degree program which will affect not only their professional path, but more immediately their coursework will shape the ways these students think. This includes the way they process information, make decisions, navigate and resolve problems or conflicts, and more generally, how they perceive the world.

Clearly, the responsibilities on the part of an academic advisor in this aspect of a student’s life in college are complex and vary student by student .  Academic advisors should effectively meet their students where they are and provide the appropriate support. This support should challenge students for optimal growth and development.

Advisors should keep in mind their individual student’s strengths, passions, objectives, needs, personality and/or limitations when they are providing guidance. With this  information from the student, and with the knowledge of student development theories, advisors can have personalized and meaningful interactions with their advisees.