Advising Diverse Populations: How To Be Inclusive Using Appreciative Advising

Description  Challenge - How To Effectively Advise Diverse Populations The evidence is overwhelming. Academic advising plays a critical role in helping students successfully complete their programs of study. If we want to deal with the problem of attrition, we need to make sure our academic advisors are adequately equipped to meet the challenges that lie ahead. As the students they serve become more diverse, academic advisors have a responsibility to continually enhance and upgrade their knowledge and skills in order to meet the challenges represented by this growing diversity. Key Takeaway Participants will learn how academic advising can be conducted effectively and efficiently with a diverse range of students.  The webinar will emphasize evidence-based best practices in academic advising that meet both student as well as institutional needs. Overview “Tackling the advising profession with a homogeneous approach would be like offering only vanilla or chocolate at the local ice cream shop. Sure, there will be customers who want one or the other but serving more choices would help to satisfy everyone. As advisers, broadening our worldview to appreciate all identities for their uniqueness and not holding them to our own strictly defined experiences will contribute to increasing student success.” – Christopher Scott Holder“What should “diversity” mean to advisors? The core values of diversity are effective practice, ethical responsibility, validity, equality, and greater good. Moreover, diversity needs to be practiced and promoted.” -- Wei-Chien Lee“As institutions increase their attempts to diversify and expand the undergraduate college student population, there is a need to increase the academic resources and support services for their students, particularly for students of Color. Because of this, academic advisors play an integral role in the academic success and degree completion of their students. The ways in which they advise and perceive their students can impact the way their students navigate and make sense of the college environment. This relationship between faculty advisor and student is just one aspect of the academic advising experience. In addition to establishing a relationship with a faculty advisor, students of Color must also learn how their ethnic and racial identities influence these interactions and their larger college experiences.” – University of ColoradoAcademic advising is a key component of any effective retention-to-graduation strategy; it forms the foundation for a successful college experience. As the student populations on most campuses continue to become more and more diverse, this can present challenges for advisors who are concerned about meeting the needs of their advisees. Indeed, working with students who differ immensely with respect to their backgrounds, experiences, preferences, and orientations precludes the use of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Customization and flexibility are the keys to the delivery of advising services that meet the sophisticated needs of today’s students. Being able to connect with students on an emotional as well as intellectual level sets the stage for a successful advising experience. But this can be difficult for many advisors who lack the knowledge and skills needed to fully understand and appreciate the students they serve.Please join us for an evidence-based, interactive, hands-on webinar that will provide participants with the competencies they need to effectively engage in academic advising with all students, irrespective of their personal and cultural characteristics. Different student populations have different needs and preferences when it comes to their expectations regarding the advising process; it is important that advisors be able to recognize where their students are coming from and respond in a way that facilitates growth and development along a number of relevant dimensions. This webinar will help advisors enhance their ability to better serve all students and get more of them to the finish line. Objectives Review the essential components of the academic advising process Explore the benefits and challenges unique to academic advising in the 21st Century Discover evidence-based best practices in academic advising, including the importance of relationships Demonstrate what strategies and techniques work best with specific populations (including first-generation students, first-year students, transfer students, international students, LBGTQIA students, multicultural and racially/ethnically diverse students, student-athletes, non-traditional students, and students with disabilities). Examine the application of the appreciative advising model to diverse student populations Learn how to connect emotionally with students during the advising process Critique real-life examples of effective and ineffective ways of interacting with students during the advising process Investigate strategies for engaging all students in a meaningful, productive advising relationships Discern issues of confidentiality and security, connectivity, and clarity associated academic advising Who Should Attend 2-year & 4-year institutions Student Services/Affairs Faculty Advisors Advising & Counseling Retention Specialist First-Year Experience Coordinators Diversity Directors/Specialists Anyone interested in learning more about advising diverse populations