Creating Connections:Integrating Academic and Career

Advising

Betsy McCalla-WrigginsBetsy McCalla-Wriggins

NJ NACADA ConferenceNJ NACADA Conference

June 9, 2009June 9, 2009

Why consider integration…

Student and parental expectationsStudent and parental expectations Impact on student retention and graduationImpact on student retention and graduation Success after graduationSuccess after graduation Opportunity to support students to “make Opportunity to support students to “make

meaning” of their livesmeaning” of their lives Feedback from advisorsFeedback from advisors

Students tell us…

Factors influencing their decision…Factors influencing their decision… This college has a very good academic This college has a very good academic

reputationreputation 64.7% 64.7% This college’s graduates get good jobs 54.2%This college’s graduates get good jobs 54.2% I was offered financial assistance 43.0%I was offered financial assistance 43.0%

CIRP, 2008 CIRP, 2008

Students report these essential or very important objectives Being well off financially 76.8%Being well off financially 76.8% Raising a family 75.5%Raising a family 75.5% Helping others who are in difficulty 69.7%Helping others who are in difficulty 69.7% Becoming an authority in my field 60.2% Becoming an authority in my field 60.2% Obtaining recognition from my colleagues Obtaining recognition from my colleagues

for contributions to my special field 57.6% for contributions to my special field 57.6%

– CIRP, 2008CIRP, 2008

Parental Expectations

Return on InvestmentReturn on Investment Financial IssuesFinancial Issues Involvement Involvement

Retention and Graduation

Academic advising plus career advising Academic advising plus career advising creates added valuecreates added value

Retention leads to improved graduation Retention leads to improved graduation rates; key measure of rating institutionsrates; key measure of rating institutions

Success After Graduation…

World of WorkWorld of Work EconomyEconomy Skills Skills

Make meaning of their lives…

““For too many students, their education For too many students, their education neither makes much sense to them nor is it in neither makes much sense to them nor is it in conversation with their lives, personally or conversation with their lives, personally or professionally.”professionally.”

AAHE, February, 2000AAHE, February, 2000

Faculty Forum on Roles and RewardsFaculty Forum on Roles and Rewards

Laff and LevyLaff and Levy

Power of Passion…

1500 Business School Graduates, 1960-801500 Business School Graduates, 1960-80 Category A…make money first, then do Category A…make money first, then do

what they really wanted to do laterwhat they really wanted to do later

1245 people, 83% of population 1245 people, 83% of population Category B…pursued their true interests, Category B…pursued their true interests,

sure money would eventually followsure money would eventually follow

255 people, 17% of population255 people, 17% of population

Impact of Power of Passion…

20 years later….101 millionaires in total 20 years later….101 millionaires in total group group

Category A Graduates had 1 millionaire Category A Graduates had 1 millionaire

Category B Graduates had 100 millionairesCategory B Graduates had 100 millionairesMaking a Life, Making a LivingMaking a Life, Making a Living

Mark AlbionMark Albion

Feedback from advisors… 2007 NACADA Survey: 2161 respondents2007 NACADA Survey: 2161 respondents

74% agreed that helping students make career 74% agreed that helping students make career decisions was important to their role as decisions was important to their role as academic advisorsacademic advisors

79% wanted to know more about how to 79% wanted to know more about how to effectively help students make career decisionseffectively help students make career decisions

81% responded that they would like more 81% responded that they would like more information about how to respond to career information about how to respond to career issues in advising sessions issues in advising sessions

The challenge becomes…

To integrate opportunities for self discovery To integrate opportunities for self discovery into the fabric of the institutioninto the fabric of the institution

To demonstrate that what students study has To demonstrate that what students study has relevancerelevance

To collaborate with others across To collaborate with others across departments and disciplines to transform the departments and disciplines to transform the environment environment

How to address these challenges..

Understand foundational componentsUnderstand foundational components Address concernsAddress concerns Identify implementation optionsIdentify implementation options Develop a planDevelop a plan

Foundational Components…

DefinitionsDefinitions CommonalitiesCommonalities

Career Advising…

““The emphasis is on information and The emphasis is on information and helping students understand the helping students understand the relationships between their educational relationships between their educational choices and general career fields rather than choices and general career fields rather than how to cope with intense career-related how to cope with intense career-related personal concerns.”personal concerns.”

Career Advising: An Academic Advisor’s GuideCareer Advising: An Academic Advisor’s Guide

V. Gordon, 2006 V. Gordon, 2006

Career Advising…

““Helps students understand how their Helps students understand how their personal interests, abilities, and values personal interests, abilities, and values might predict success in the academic and might predict success in the academic and career fields they are considering and how career fields they are considering and how to form their academic and career goals to form their academic and career goals accordingly.”accordingly.”

–V. Gordon V. Gordon

Advising Programs…

……promote learning and development in students promote learning and development in students by encouraging experiences which lead to by encouraging experiences which lead to intellectual growth, the ability to communicate intellectual growth, the ability to communicate effectively, appropriate career choices, leadership effectively, appropriate career choices, leadership development, and the ability to work development, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. independently and collaboratively.

Council for the Advancement of Standards Council for the Advancement of Standards

in Higher Educationin Higher Education

Advising…

…….“It is teaching in an out-of-classroom .“It is teaching in an out-of-classroom setting to promote student learning and setting to promote student learning and personal development.”personal development.”

–Academic Advising HandbookAcademic Advising Handbook

Don Don CreamerCreamer

O’Banion

Exploration of Life GoalsExploration of Life Goals Exploration of Career/Educational GoalsExploration of Career/Educational Goals Selection of an Educational CombinationSelection of an Educational Combination Selection of ClassesSelection of Classes Scheduling of ClassesScheduling of Classes

Decision Making…

Elements in both career advising and Elements in both career advising and academic advising;academic advising; Self assessmentSelf assessment ExplorationExploration Reality testingReality testing Making a choiceMaking a choice

3 I Process…

InquireInquire InformInform IntegrateIntegrate

–V. Gordon, 2006V. Gordon, 2006

Common Skills…

ListeningListening ReferringReferring CommunicatingCommunicating Challenging and supportingChallenging and supporting TeachingTeaching

Impact of Self Knowledge…

If we do not assist students in the process of If we do not assist students in the process of knowing themselves, how can we expect knowing themselves, how can we expect them to understand and appreciate others? them to understand and appreciate others?

Dr. Alexander Astin, FYE Conference Dr. Alexander Astin, FYE Conference

February 5, 2005February 5, 2005

Identify obstacles to integration… Feelings Feelings InformationInformation TimeTime ResourcesResources Current responsibilitiesCurrent responsibilities Structural, territorial issuesStructural, territorial issues

How to address concerns…

Identify commonalitiesIdentify commonalities Identify advocatesIdentify advocates Reach outReach out Identify resourcesIdentify resources Start smallStart small Be open and flexibleBe open and flexible Be intentionalBe intentional

Be Intentional…

Individual InteractionsIndividual Interactions Cross Departmental/Divisional Cross Departmental/Divisional

CollaborationsCollaborations Curricular IntegrationCurricular Integration Formal and Structural Integration Formal and Structural Integration

Individual Interactions…

The questions frequently asked…The questions frequently asked… What major are you considering?What major are you considering? How are your classes going?How are your classes going? What do you want to do after graduation?What do you want to do after graduation? What classes are you considering for next What classes are you considering for next

semester?semester?

Individual Interactions…

Reframe the questions…Reframe the questions… Won the lottery…Won the lottery… When you were a child…When you were a child… Favorite activities…Favorite activities… Would not fail…Would not fail… Your dreams…Your dreams… The most important thing…The most important thing…

More Questions…

What life skills are being developed in this What life skills are being developed in this experience?experience?

How can the content knowledge in that How can the content knowledge in that course be used in a career or a vocation?course be used in a career or a vocation?

How do these skills and knowledges relate How do these skills and knowledges relate to your interests and passions? to your interests and passions?

John Crystal…

The best way to find out what someone The best way to find out what someone wants to do….wants to do….

““Ask them”Ask them”

Collaborations…

Career and Major ExpoCareer and Major Expo What Can I Do With a Major In…..?What Can I Do With a Major In…..? Departmental LiaisonsDepartmental Liaisons Combined Staff MeetingsCombined Staff Meetings Joint Programming Joint Programming

Curricular Integration…

Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities Courses required of all students…Courses required of all students…

College Composition I and IICollege Composition I and II Public SpeakingPublic Speaking FYE Course FYE Course

Curricular Integration…

Courses required in the majorCourses required in the major Intro to …..Intro to ….. InternshipInternship Field Experience/PracticumField Experience/Practicum Senior SeminarSenior Seminar

Curricular Integration…

College InitiativesCollege Initiatives College of BusinessCollege of Business

• Business PerspectivesBusiness Perspectives

• Principles of FinancePrinciples of Finance

• Senior SeminarSenior Seminar

Provide Resources…

Printed materialsPrinted materials The Handbook of Career AdvisingThe Handbook of Career Advising Career Advising: An Academic Career Advising: An Academic

Advisor’s GuideAdvisor’s Guide WebsitesWebsites

www.nacada.ksu.edu www.naceweb.org

More resources…

Computer assisted programsComputer assisted programs DiscoverDiscover MyRoad.comMyRoad.com SIGISIGI

Faculty, staff, and employersFaculty, staff, and employers Professional AssociationsProfessional Associations

Formal Integration…

Units that support the academic advising Units that support the academic advising and career development process throughout and career development process throughout the student’s entire collegiate experience. the student’s entire collegiate experience. University WideUniversity Wide College SpecificCollege Specific Population SpecificPopulation Specific

The Power of One…

You can make a difference where ever you You can make a difference where ever you are in the organizational structure …are in the organizational structure …

Develop a plan to identify what you will do Develop a plan to identify what you will do differently the next time you meet with a differently the next time you meet with a student…student…

Consider these questions…

What questions do I currently ask students What questions do I currently ask students about their interests, skills, values, and about their interests, skills, values, and passions?passions?

How do I help them connect that self How do I help them connect that self knowledge with the academic decisions knowledge with the academic decisions they are making?they are making?

What are the most frequent career questions What are the most frequent career questions that my students ask? that my students ask?

More considerations…

Which of these questions could I answer Which of these questions could I answer that would help my students make wiser that would help my students make wiser academic decisions?academic decisions?

Who currently provides answers to those Who currently provides answers to those career questions?career questions?

What are ways I could collaborate with What are ways I could collaborate with those individuals to help us all better serve those individuals to help us all better serve our students?our students?

Enhancing Connections…

By integrating opportunities for self By integrating opportunities for self discovery into the fabric of the institutiondiscovery into the fabric of the institution

By demonstrating that what students study By demonstrating that what students study has relevancehas relevance

By collaborating with others across By collaborating with others across departments and disciplines to transform the departments and disciplines to transform the environment environment

Our Goal…

““Higher education…should be about providing Higher education…should be about providing learners of any age with the opportunity to reflect learners of any age with the opportunity to reflect on the purpose and meaning they create with their on the purpose and meaning they create with their lives and the contribution to the world they can lives and the contribution to the world they can make with their gifts. That, to me, is the highest make with their gifts. That, to me, is the highest calling of the academy.” calling of the academy.”

Dr. Monica ManningDr. Monica ManningAssoc. for General and Liberal Assoc. for General and Liberal

Studies Studies Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia October 1999October 1999

Advising Locally,Advising Locally,

Thinking GloballyThinking Globally