SIUE Hosts Prominent Academic Advising Speakers
Mindful academic advising is vital for student success in higher education nationwide, international advising organizations have formed to spread best practices globally.
That’s why Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Effie Hortis, assistant director of first year services in the Office of Academic Advising, invited two prominent voices of the international academic advising community to present on retention and student success efforts at SIUE.
Featured guests included Charlie Nutt, executive director of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), and David Grey, CEO of the United Kingdom Academic Tutoring Association (UKAT). The pair presented to the University’s academic advising community on Wednesday, May 12.
As the executive director of NACADA and a faculty member in the College of Education at Kansas State University, Nutt has written extensively in the areas of academic advising, retention and student success. By presenting at various state, regional, national and international conferences, he has become an influential and motivational figure for the global academic advising community.
Grey’s work is primarily focused on personal tutoring, academic advising, academic practice and leading educational projects.
“Although academic advising is a profession in the U.S., many countries do not have sufficient academic advising or student services due to differences in educational systems and curriculum styles,” explained Hortis. “Due to globalization and the marketization of education in recent years, academic advising has become more of a global initiative. The United Kingdom was one of the first areas in the world, outside of the U.S., that formed an organization to align with NACADA and academic advising practices.”
NACADA promotes and supports quality academic advising in higher education institutions to enhance the educational development of all students. Hortis believes that organizations like NACADA have contributed to other countries following suit and realizing the importance of academic advising, specifically in retention and student success efforts.
“NACADA is the home of academic advisors, and by presenting at SIUE, Charlie and David prove that support to the advising community is substantial,” said Hortis.
Photo: SIUE’s Effie Hortis, assistant director of first year services in the Office of Academic Advising.
