Academic Advising Resources
Western Michigan University is dedicated to the professional development of academic advisors and ensuring they receive the resources necessary to facilitate professional and personal growth. This commitment is evident in the Academic Advising program review, the One WMU initiative, which was the starting point for functional centralized advising at WMU, and the Excellence in Academic Advising self-study.
NACADA Global Advising Week is April 27 through May 3, 2025
NACADA Resources
The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) offers three books for professional academic advisors. Whether you are a new advisor or a seasoned advisor, there is a book for you!
Advising 101
The New Advisor Guidebook: Mastering the Art of Academic Advising
This is an exciting time to be an academic advisor—a time in which global recognition of the importance of advising is growing, research affirms the critical role advising plays in student success, and institutions of higher education increasingly view advising as integral to their missions and essential for improving the quality of students' educational experiences. It is essential that advisors provide knowledgeable, realistic counsel to the students in their charge. The New Advisor Guidebook helps advisors meet this challenge and serves as an introduction to what advisors must know to do their jobs effectively.
Advising 201
Academic Advising Approaches: Strategies that Teach Students to Make the Most of College
Strong academic advising has been found to be a key contributor to student persistence (Center for Public Education, 2012), and many are expected to play an advising role, including academic, career, and faculty advisors; counselors; tutors; and student affairs staff. Yet there is little training on how to do so. Various advising strategies exist, each of which has its own proponents.
This book serves as the practice-based companion to Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook, also from NACADA. Whereas the handbook addresses the concepts advisors and advising administrators need to know in order to build a success advising program, Academic Advising Approaches explains the delivery strategies successful advisors can use to help students make the most of their college experience.
Advising 301
Beyond Foundations: Developing as a Master Academic Advisor
Beyond Foundations, a core resource for experienced academic advisors, gives practitioners insight into important issues affecting academic advising. In addition to gaining understanding of foundational concepts and pressing concerns, master advisors engage with case studies to clarify their roles as educators of students, as thought leaders in institutions, and as advocates for the profession. Pillar documents―the NACADA Core Values, NACADA Concept of Academic Advising, and CAS Standards―serve as sources of both information and inspiration for those seeking to improve advising. New strategies inform advisors helping a diverse student population delineate meaningful educational goals. Each chapter prompts productive discussions with fellow advisors interested in cultivating advising excellence.
Professional Development Opportunities
Conferences
| Date | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| April 22-24, 2025 | NACADA Region 5 Conference | Chicago, IL |
| May 9, 2025 | MiACADA Annual Conference | Michigan State University Lansing, MI |
| October 26-29, 2025 | NACADA Annual Conference | Las Vegas, NV |
Available Diversity Workshops
Choose from Cultural Humility; Identity, Power and Privilege; or Microaggressions.