Advising Fall Welcome Event Celebrates Connection, Community, and Growth
Advising colleagues came together on October 15 for the annual Advising Fall Welcome, an event that gathered over 100 members of the advising community. Designed to foster connection, reflection, and professional engagement, the event set the tone for a collaborative and enriching academic year.
The event began with Lauren Wong and Pamela Pretell, Aggie Success Advisors from Academic Advising Enrichment (AAE), leading a series of dynamic activities. Advisors first engaged in a lively “Four Corners” icebreaker. This activity created a palpably energetic mood where participants mingled, laughed, and made new connections by way of amusing (and some outlandish) prompts. Following that, a “Table Topics” session invited deeper discussions, prompting attendees to explore themes relevant to their advising roles. Advisors exchanged insights on supporting diverse student populations, identifying key areas for professional growth, and brainstorming new approaches to academic success. These conversations were intended as an initial reflection and exploration of advising moving into a new academic year. Groups were instructed to jot down notes for AAE to review based on their discussions.
The event also featured Katy Pattison and Geoff Murry, co-chairs of the Academic Advising Mentoring Program (AAMP), who shared opportunities for getting involved with the mentoring program. Whether through becoming a mentor, mentee, or engaging informally with programming, AAMP offers various levels of engagement. Advisors can get more information from the AAMP webpage about how to get involved and benefit from this impactful community-building initiative.
Michael Bradford, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Kayton Carter, Executive Director of Academic Advising Enrichment, shared words of encouragement and vision during the event. Their remarks underscored the importance of the advising community’s role in student success and acknowledged the essential contributions of advisors in shaping positive academic outcomes. They also pointed to systemic barriers that make the work of advising challenging – and addressed some proposed institutional goals for change.
Nicole Wood, Project & Communication Manager in AAE, opened the awards ceremony by marking the 10th anniversary of the academic advising awards and introducing a new acknowledgment system to enhance our culture of appreciation within the advising community. Advisors were encouraged to Shout Out a Colleague! The shout outs will get shared publicly.
2024 Award Recipients
The 2024 award winners were announced and celebrated. Awards went to: Katherine Ampaw-Matthei for Outstanding Staff Advisor, Grace Gomez for Outstanding New Advisor, Ariel Collatz for Outstanding Advising Administrator, Colin Goulding for Outstanding Campus Collaborator, Geoffrey Murry for Outstanding Advising Mentor, Janet Gutierrez as Outstanding Equity Champion, Melanie Ruby Avalos for Outstanding Peer Advisor, and Dr. Janine Wilson for Outstanding Faculty Advisor.
The Advising Fall Welcome provided a space to celebrate the advising community, exchange ideas, and renew commitments to student-centered work. Through activities, mentoring discussions, leadership insights, and awards, the event embodied the collaborative spirit that drives the advising community forward. With renewed energy and new connections, attendees left the event ready to support each other and their students in meaningful ways throughout the coming year.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event a success!