NACADA 2024, Pittsburgh, PA
A Rainbow of Possibilities: Advising Students on the Autism Spectrum;
Niki Blackwell, School of Public Health Academic Advisor
A Rainbow of Possibilities: Advising Students on the Autism Spectrum has been a passion project of mine this year, having a son on the spectrum, as well as many of my students disclosing their Autism to me. I was honored to present at the NACADA Annual 2024 Conference in Pittsburgh, PA and was thrilled by the support of my colleagues, as well as the response from those in attendance for the session. Much of the public perception of Autism is narrow-minded and erroneous and I wanted to dispel those misconceptions by giving the #ActuallyAutistic perspective through my research of Autistic authors. I wanted advisors to understand what Autism is and isn't and learn how best to work with their students, advocating for their unique needs. Autism is not an illness or something to be cured; it is a different way of being human that needs to be honored. [See the PowerPoint presentation]
Experiential Advising: Re-Evaluating Your Advising Skillset and Building Cognitive Empathy as an Advisor
Wojciech Beltkiewicz, Rosie Piga Pizzo and Sharon Hay, AMES academic advisors; Di Dingman, Health Professions and Prelaw Advising
Four academic advisors at a large public university enrolled in undergraduate courses to 'experience what undergraduate advisees are experiencing.' The result was a theoretical model of 'Experiential Advising,' which borrowed from David Kolb's theory of experiential learning, Judith Butler's theory of gender identity, and Jennifer Bloom's theory of appreciative advising, to re-evaluate advisor identities to learn again to be a student to become a more effective advisor.
This panel presentation gave four IUB advisors the opportunity to share their experiences taking a class with traditional undergraduates on the IU Bloomington campus and to explore the philosophical underpinnings of the impact on their advising practice. [See the PowerPoint presentation]
Flowing Together: Navigating the Confluence of Student, Faculty, and Advisor Informal Connections Elaine Barr and Doug DaVee, IU School of Nursing
IU Bloomington Nursing Advisors presented on a program called 'Conversations on the Go' that united students, faculty, and advisors. Stemming from students' desire for deeper connections with faculty and declining drop-in advising attendance, we launched weekly informal encounters covering topics like cultural exchange and cooking on a budget. These interactions fostered community and enriched experiences, showcasing collaboration's power. Attendees learned about our initiative's development and outcomes, including assessment results. The session concluded with small group brainstorming on adapting similar opportunities for participants in their own advising offices. [See the Powerpoint presentation].
