Purdue’s commitment to academic advising excellence took center stage at the 2024 National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) annual conference.

The academic advising community at Purdue is a leading force among the profession. Purdue holds the third-largest membership in the country of collegiate advisors in NACADA. Purdue advisors also received two prestigious awards. Three advisors from the College of Engineering Honors Program — Suzanne Coolbaugh-Walker, MaKenzie Campbell and Nicole Mosher — earned the Outstanding Advisor Program Award. Jennifer Fecher, lead academic advisor for health and kinesiology, earned an Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit.

Jeff Elliott, Purdue’s executive director of undergraduate advising, was appointed to the NACADA executive board, highlighting the university’s leadership in shaping the future of academic advising. Elliott was recognized as a mentor in NACADA’s Emerging Leaders Program.

NACADA provides advisors with career advancement and networking opportunities while championing student success strategies. As a board member, Elliott says he is excited to standardize academic advising across the country while raising the profile of the profession as a whole. 

“I’m also focused on helping NACADA determine how AI can advance academic advising —  before others define what that future will look like,” he says.  

Elliott’s role highlights the innovation of Purdue’s academic advising unit, says Tiffany Stergar, director of advising professional development. 

“He has a seat at the table where the gold standard of advising is being developed,” Stergar says. 

Stergar also presented at the conference on Purdue’s advisor training and development program. Stergar’s presentation with Julie Birkner, assistant director for the Daniels School of Business, emphasized the importance of a class they co-developed for new advisors. Stergar’s second presentation highlighted Purdue’s Advisor Certification Program, which focused on foundational advising skills. While new advisors are required to take the course, it is offered to current advisors any point in their career to continue their development. 

“We want to give our Advisors an opportunity to grow as professionals,” she says.

Providing personalized guidance

Heather Servaty-Seib, senior associate vice provost for Teaching and Learning, noted that these programs, combined with requiring a master’s degree, are just part of what sets Purdue apart from other university advising programs. She emphasized that Purdue holds the lowest ratio of students to advisors in the Big Ten, providing personalized guidance and excellence at scale. 

“Our outstanding recognition at the conference highlights how our work at Purdue can and should be emulated,” says Servaty-Seib. 

Purdue will be presenting at the upcoming Region 5 conference in Chicago in Spring 2025. Cara Wetzel, assistant director of exploratory studies, will lead the Region 5 committee. She oversees members across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Ontario and Nunavut. Stergar, who has been elected as the Indiana liaison, will be presenting on Purdue’s advisor mentoring program. 

For more information on academic advising, visit the NACADA and Purdue Academic Advising websites.