Creating Connections: Integrating Academic and Career Advising Betsy McCalla-Wriggins NJ NACADA Conference June 9, 2009

Why consider integration… Student and parental expectations Student and parental expectations Impact on student retention and graduation Impact on student retention and graduation Success after graduation Success after graduation Opportunity to support students to “make meaning” of their lives Opportunity to support students to “make meaning” of their lives Feedback from advisors Feedback from advisors

Students tell us… Factors influencing their decision… Factors influencing their decision…  This college has a very good academic reputation 64.7%  This college’s graduates get good jobs 54.2%  I was offered financial assistance 43.0% CIRP, 2008

Students report these essential or very important objectives Being well off financially 76.8% Being well off financially 76.8% Raising a family 75.5% Raising a family 75.5% Helping others who are in difficulty 69.7% Helping others who are in difficulty 69.7% Becoming an authority in my field 60.2% Becoming an authority in my field 60.2% Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my special field 57.6% Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my special field 57.6% – CIRP, 2008

Parental Expectations Return on Investment Return on Investment Financial Issues Financial Issues Involvement Involvement

Retention and Graduation Academic advising plus career advising creates added value Academic advising plus career advising creates added value Retention leads to improved graduation rates; key measure of rating institutions Retention leads to improved graduation rates; key measure of rating institutions

Success After Graduation… World of Work World of Work Economy Economy Skills Skills

Make meaning of their lives… “For too many students, their education neither makes much sense to them nor is it in conversation with their lives, personally or professionally.” “For too many students, their education neither makes much sense to them nor is it in conversation with their lives, personally or professionally.” AAHE, February, 2000 Faculty Forum on Roles and Rewards Faculty Forum on Roles and Rewards Laff and Levy Laff and Levy

Power of Passion… 1500 Business School Graduates, Business School Graduates, Category A…make money first, then do what they really wanted to do later Category A…make money first, then do what they really wanted to do later 1245 people, 83% of population Category B…pursued their true interests, sure money would eventually follow Category B…pursued their true interests, sure money would eventually follow 255 people, 17% of population 255 people, 17% of population

Impact of Power of Passion… 20 years later….101 millionaires in total group 20 years later….101 millionaires in total group Category A Graduates had 1 millionaire Category A Graduates had 1 millionaire Category B Graduates had 100 millionaires Category B Graduates had 100 millionaires Making a Life, Making a Living Mark Albion

Feedback from advisors… 2007 NACADA Survey: 2161 respondents 2007 NACADA Survey: 2161 respondents  74% agreed that helping students make career decisions was important to their role as academic advisors  79% wanted to know more about how to effectively help students make career decisions  81% responded that they would like more information about how to respond to career issues in advising sessions

The challenge becomes… To integrate opportunities for self discovery into the fabric of the institution To integrate opportunities for self discovery into the fabric of the institution To demonstrate that what students study has relevance To demonstrate that what students study has relevance To collaborate with others across departments and disciplines to transform the environment To collaborate with others across departments and disciplines to transform the environment

How to address these challenges.. Understand foundational components Understand foundational components Address concerns Address concerns Identify implementation options Identify implementation options Develop a plan Develop a plan

Foundational Components… Definitions Definitions Commonalities Commonalities

Career Advising… “The emphasis is on information and helping students understand the relationships between their educational choices and general career fields rather than how to cope with intense career-related personal concerns.” “The emphasis is on information and helping students understand the relationships between their educational choices and general career fields rather than how to cope with intense career-related personal concerns.” Career Advising: An Academic Advisor’s Guide V. Gordon, 2006 V. Gordon, 2006

Career Advising… “Helps students understand how their personal interests, abilities, and values might predict success in the academic and career fields they are considering and how to form their academic and career goals accordingly.” “Helps students understand how their personal interests, abilities, and values might predict success in the academic and career fields they are considering and how to form their academic and career goals accordingly.” –V. Gordon

Advising Programs… …promote learning and development in students by encouraging experiences which lead to intellectual growth, the ability to communicate effectively, appropriate career choices, leadership development, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. …promote learning and development in students by encouraging experiences which lead to intellectual growth, the ability to communicate effectively, appropriate career choices, leadership development, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively. Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education in Higher Education

Advising… ….“It is teaching in an out-of-classroom setting to promote student learning and personal development.” ….“It is teaching in an out-of-classroom setting to promote student learning and personal development.” –Academic Advising Handbook Don Creamer

O’Banion Exploration of Life Goals Exploration of Life Goals Exploration of Career/Educational Goals Exploration of Career/Educational Goals Selection of an Educational Combination Selection of an Educational Combination Selection of Classes Selection of Classes Scheduling of Classes Scheduling of Classes

Decision Making… Elements in both career advising and academic advising; Elements in both career advising and academic advising;  Self assessment  Exploration  Reality testing  Making a choice

3 I Process… Inquire Inquire Inform Inform Integrate Integrate –V. Gordon, 2006

Common Skills… Listening Listening Referring Referring Communicating Communicating Challenging and supporting Challenging and supporting Teaching Teaching

Impact of Self Knowledge… If we do not assist students in the process of knowing themselves, how can we expect them to understand and appreciate others? If we do not assist students in the process of knowing themselves, how can we expect them to understand and appreciate others? Dr. Alexander Astin, FYE Conference February 5, 2005

Identify obstacles to integration… Feelings Feelings Information Information Time Time Resources Resources Current responsibilities Current responsibilities Structural, territorial issues Structural, territorial issues

How to address concerns… Identify commonalities Identify commonalities Identify advocates Identify advocates Reach out Reach out Identify resources Identify resources Start small Start small Be open and flexible Be open and flexible Be intentional Be intentional

Be Intentional…  Individual Interactions  Cross Departmental/Divisional Collaborations  Curricular Integration  Formal and Structural Integration

Individual Interactions… The questions frequently asked… The questions frequently asked…  What major are you considering?  How are your classes going?  What do you want to do after graduation?  What classes are you considering for next semester?

Individual Interactions… Reframe the questions… Reframe the questions…  Won the lottery…  When you were a child…  Favorite activities…  Would not fail…  Your dreams…  The most important thing…

More Questions… What life skills are being developed in this experience? What life skills are being developed in this experience? How can the content knowledge in that course be used in a career or a vocation? How can the content knowledge in that course be used in a career or a vocation? How do these skills and knowledges relate to your interests and passions? How do these skills and knowledges relate to your interests and passions?

John Crystal… The best way to find out what someone wants to do…. The best way to find out what someone wants to do…. “Ask them” “Ask them”

Collaborations… Career and Major Expo Career and Major Expo What Can I Do With a Major In…..? What Can I Do With a Major In…..? Departmental Liaisons Departmental Liaisons Combined Staff Meetings Combined Staff Meetings Joint Programming Joint Programming

Curricular Integration… Learning Communities Learning Communities Courses required of all students… Courses required of all students…  College Composition I and II  Public Speaking  FYE Course

Curricular Integration… Courses required in the major Courses required in the major  Intro to …..  Internship  Field Experience/Practicum  Senior Seminar

Curricular Integration… College Initiatives College Initiatives  College of Business Business PerspectivesBusiness Perspectives Principles of FinancePrinciples of Finance Senior SeminarSenior Seminar

Provide Resources… Printed materials Printed materials  The Handbook of Career Advising  Career Advising: An Academic Advisor’s Guide Websites Websites  

More resources… Computer assisted programs Computer assisted programs  Discover  MyRoad.com  SIGI Faculty, staff, and employers Faculty, staff, and employers Professional Associations Professional Associations

Formal Integration… Units that support the academic advising and career development process throughout the student’s entire collegiate experience. Units that support the academic advising and career development process throughout the student’s entire collegiate experience.  University Wide  College Specific  Population Specific

The Power of One… You can make a difference where ever you are in the organizational structure … You can make a difference where ever you are in the organizational structure … Develop a plan to identify what you will do differently the next time you meet with a student… Develop a plan to identify what you will do differently the next time you meet with a student…

Consider these questions… What questions do I currently ask students about their interests, skills, values, and passions? What questions do I currently ask students about their interests, skills, values, and passions? How do I help them connect that self knowledge with the academic decisions they are making? How do I help them connect that self knowledge with the academic decisions they are making? What are the most frequent career questions that my students ask? What are the most frequent career questions that my students ask?

More considerations… Which of these questions could I answer that would help my students make wiser academic decisions? Which of these questions could I answer that would help my students make wiser academic decisions? Who currently provides answers to those career questions? Who currently provides answers to those career questions? What are ways I could collaborate with those individuals to help us all better serve our students? What are ways I could collaborate with those individuals to help us all better serve our students?

Enhancing Connections… By integrating opportunities for self discovery into the fabric of the institution By integrating opportunities for self discovery into the fabric of the institution By demonstrating that what students study has relevance By demonstrating that what students study has relevance By collaborating with others across departments and disciplines to transform the environment By collaborating with others across departments and disciplines to transform the environment

Our Goal… “Higher education…should be about providing learners of any age with the opportunity to reflect on the purpose and meaning they create with their lives and the contribution to the world they can make with their gifts. That, to me, is the highest calling of the academy.” “Higher education…should be about providing learners of any age with the opportunity to reflect on the purpose and meaning they create with their lives and the contribution to the world they can make with their gifts. That, to me, is the highest calling of the academy.” Dr. Monica Manning Assoc. for General and Liberal Studies Richmond, Virginia October 1999 October 1999

Advising Locally, Advising Locally, Thinking Globally Thinking Globally