1st Set of Sessions:

Becki Bleikamp - Utilizing Navigate Reporting and Analytics Tools (70 mins)

This session will be a deeper dive into some reporting tools and analytics tools in Navigate. We will be taking a look at several reporting functions in Navigate which include Advanced Search, V3 Reports, and Analytics Dashboards. These reporting tools may help you create nudges, appointment campaigns, or automated emails that can be sent to students based on specific criteria you determine. Attendees can walk away with saved searches and saved reports, as well as a deeper understanding of the analytics tools which can help you understand your advising caseload or other students you might work with regularly. Bring your laptop to follow along!

Ghada Mahdi - Embracing Growth Mindset and Grit Among At-Risk College Students

I am a strong believer that skills, talents, and ability to learn something new can be enhanced through effort and practice and that learning how to be able to adapt to all types of challenges through developing some good learning strategies which align with long-term goals can lead to some positive outcomes like increasing confidence in ones abilities and sticking in to long-term goals in spite of distractions, adversity, or challenges. Therefore, I have incorporated “Growth Mindset” and “Grit” in teaching my course as well as AC/Advising sessions, and I encouraged students’ practicing them. According to Dr. Carol Dweck, peoples’ mindsets play a significant role in determining achievement and success as it influences how we think, feel, and behave in any given situation. Growth mindset is “the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts” (2006, pp. 6–7). Dweck continued that learning is not innate; it is a skill set that is developed over time. “Grit,” as defined by Dr. Angela Duckworth in her popular 2013 TED Talk, is “the tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward very long-term goals— It’s passion and effort/perseverance for very long-term goals over many years in spite of failure or adversity” (Duckworth, 2013). The good news is that the two constructs complement each other and they can be developed, taught, and improved throughout the course of our life. For instance, the best way to grow and improve “grit- be grittier” is to cultivate Growth mindset.

Rachel Stevens - High Risk, High Reward? Understanding and Leveraging the Characteristics of Emerging Adults

Emerging Adulthood is a relatively new life stage spanning the ages of 18 to 29 that has been proposed in Westernized cultures due to many cultural shifts that have occurred over the last 50 to 60 years, including the technological revolution and the women's movement. In this presentation, I will first describe five characteristics of Emerging Adulthood that make this life stage distinct from both adolescence and adulthood, proposed by Arnett (2014): identity exploration, instability, self-focus, feeling "in between", and optimism for the future. During Emerging Adulthood, the brain continues to change and develop. In the next part of the presentation, I will discuss how these brain changes relate to risk-taking, reward-seeking, and achievement motivation behaviors that characterize our student population, and how we can understand and leverage these behaviors to promote student success.

Madeleine Hood - The Wedding Planner Meets an Advisor: Tips & Tricks on "Intentional Programming"

The Wedding Planner Meets an Academic Advisor - In my personal life, one of my most favorite hobbies is putting together events. Whether it is a huge scale function, such as a 120 guests wedding, or an intimate 3 guests dinner party - my goal is always to create an intentional atmosphere with purpose and impact. This principle I not only try to uphold in my personal life, but also in my career, especially in my interactions with my students. Everything from my one on one advising meetings, to an advising workshop, my priority is to always curate an impactful atmosphere.

My goal with this presentation is to give tips to the advising community on how to be intentional and creative when it comes to academic based programming. Advisors will learn how to find their deeper purpose for their event, set an intentional goal, focus on the logistical aspects (and I do NOT mean the who, where, how 😀), and implement an amazing program!

By learning how to be intentional with programming, I am hoping that it will help advisors better connect with their students. I also hope for the students’ benefit, they not only will be encouraged to attend future programs, but be able to have a strong and purposeful takeaway.

Kindra Lierz & Cheyenne Smith - Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: A Roadmap of Appreciative Advising for First-Generation College Students

This presentation explores using the stages of Appreciative Advising to connect with and foster growth in first-generation college students. Many first-generation college students come to college facing unique obstacles to overcome due to having less knowledge of how the university system works, and are more hesitant to ask questions than other students. These students are less likely to graduate with their degrees than their peers whose parents completed college. Meeting with advisors is often one of the first interactions students have at orientation and advisors continue to be a person of contact and support for students until graduation. In this presentation, we will explore how to use the stages of “Disarm, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver, and Don't Settle” to help first-generation students reflect on past successes and work to achieve future goals. Within each stage, we will discuss different strategies to help advise first-generation students to help them connect with resources, discover community, feel comfortable seeking help, and start work on their self-discovery. Throughout our presentation we will discuss how to start utilizing appreciative advising for students at orientation and continue using these stages in appointments until graduation. We hope to encourage advisors to incorporate the methods discussed to help foster connections with their first-generation college students and help reduce the obstacles facing these students.

2nd Set Sessions:

Benjamin Williams, Alex Wood, & Cecilie McGhehey - Navigating Care for Students Struggling (70 mins)

Caring for students in crisis requires e understanding their needs, circumstances, and vulnerabilities. The additional challenge of navigating what resources are available, how to support, and when things escalate can be confusing. This session will provide and interactive and engaging presentation where you will learn about resources, complete case studies to identify next steps, and support caring for students. We will provide you insight into identifying and recognizing students struggling and the resources available to support them. Once we build that foundation, you will go through a group of case studies with a group to identify and categorize the challenges and needs of the student. Through this interactive session, you will be able to understand resources and how to support students within your capacity.

As a critical part of the care infrastructure for the campus, this session will help build a toolbox to support your navigation of student needs.

Marnie Nelson & Madeline Whistler - What Study Abroad IS and What Study Abroad IS NOT: Preparing Students for Challenges and Success Abroad

Study abroad is so much more than traveling abroad. Students take courses that are integrated within the host culture and take advantage of the new environment to create unique learning experiences. Students take coursework that may not be offered here on campus that creates a richer academic experience. In doing this, students naturally experience new challenges such as navigating local transportation, purchasing food in a local market, understanding new currency and living with a homestay family. These, similar to the college experience, in general are life changing experiences that help students to become their true selves.

Cathy Moore - Demystifying Transfer Credit

Transfer credit evaluation is a critical component of advising for transfer students, yet it often remains opaque and complex for both students and advisors alike. This presentation aims to demystify the intricacies of transfer credit by exploring the various types of credits and providing valuable resources to assist advisors in guiding transfer students effectively. We will delve into the different types of transfer credits and transfer initiatives, including course equivalencies, Transfer Assurance Guides, Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Pathways, and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). Understanding these distinctions is vital for advisors to accurately assess transfer students' academic progress and help them navigate their educational journey smoothly. Moreover, this presentation will provide advisors with a toolbox of resources tailored to facilitate transfer credit evaluation and advising. From online databases for course equivalencies to guidelines for assessing PLA portfolios, advisors will gain practical insights into streamlining the transfer credit evaluation process. By empowering advisors with comprehensive knowledge and resources, this presentation seeks to enhance the effectiveness of transfer student advising, ensuring a seamless transition and maximizing the academic success of transfer students within higher education institutions.

Judy Mahabir, Dawna Peterson, & Sawyer Federinko - Peer Mentoring For Retention and Advising Efficiency of Early College Students: Killing Two Birds With One Stone

The purpose of our Presentation will be to offer information about our proposed Peer Mentoring Program being piloted with freshmen and sophomores in Teaching, Curriculum and Educational Inquiry (TCE) majors in Fall 2024, in order to stimulate a discussion on the topic. We hope to extend the program to all EHS majors eventually.The pilot will also serve as an opportunity for third and fourth year students to share their experiences with their peers, exchange knowledge of their programs, majors, and the university, and work collaboratively with professional advisors as they develop their leadership capacity, enhance their communication skills, while building relationships and creating a community of mentors. This initiative will establish a support network for students in the College of EHS that works to advance holistic student success.

Leah Evans - Advising Gen Z by Gen Z

In this session, attendees will explore various trends in Generation Z and their needs when it comes to advising and transition to college, presented by a Gen Z student and incoming student affairs professional. Gen Z students, born between 1995 and 2009, find themselves in a unique time in history, facing ever changing technological innovation, a global pandemic, and consistent social and political unrest. As academic advisors and campus professionals, the experiences of Gen Z students must inform our lenses and frameworks when helping them to navigate higher education systems. Using learning-centered and appreciative advising frameworks, we give information about where students are in regards to these topics and provide suggestions for effective practice. Themes explored include digital literacy, trauma informed practice, and understanding diverse perspectives in a tense political climate.

3rd Set Sessions (all 70 mins):

Troylin Banks - De-Automate Advising: How we Frame Academic Advising

Academic advisors serve an instrumental role in setting the stage for how students and collaborators frame advising structure, navigating academia, and the culture and philosophy of academic support. The advising space, the advisor, the framework of advising, and other aspects of the Academy center dominant student identities and social capitals while alienating and destabilizing marginalized identities and logics. Advisors are tasked with efficiently addressing hundreds of students and, in cases where time and staffing are limited, may enact prescriptive, automated, and “compromised” advising. Students and collaborators are streamlined through a process of advising that outputs a product that is expected to have their needs met and would continue to seek a mechanized advisor with matters that must be framed to account for a regimented style of support. Exposure to this style of advising or advisor creates a negative zone for students and collaborators whose reality clashes with the dominant culture that must thrive for such advising to exist (Mitchell, Wood, & Witherspoon, 2010). This community engagement workshop will focalize the myriad of ways advisors and support staff have engendered or privileged useful or harmful identities and behaviors. This workshop will also draw awareness to what norms foster healthy, collaborative cognitive development for students to mature in their academic journey while actualizing desired advisor expectations and perceptions of its role. We will incorporate group discussion and reflect on shared and individual advising experiences to problematize “compromised advising” and brainstorm solutions towards providing a collaborative-contextual-caring advising atmosphere.

Annastashia Blesi - Ableism, Inspiration Porn, and Microaggresions

This presentation delves into the complex interplay of ableism, microaggressions, and inspiration porn within society. Ableism, the discrimination and prejudice against individuals with disabilities, manifests through various forms, including microaggressions – subtle, often unintentional acts or comments that perpetuate stereotypes and marginalize people with disabilities. These microaggressions can range from patronizing attitudes to exclusionary behaviors, reinforcing societal norms that privilege able-bodied individuals. Moreover, the phenomenon of inspiration porn, wherein people with disabilities are objectified and praised solely for their ability to overcome challenges, further perpetuates harmful stereotypes and undermines their autonomy. By dissecting real-world examples and discussing their impact, this presentation aims to raise awareness about the insidious nature of ableism and its manifestations in everyday interactions. Through critical analysis and dialogue, attendees will gain insights into recognizing and challenging ableism and microaggressions, fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for individuals of all abilities. By reframing narratives and promoting authentic representation, we can work towards dismantling harmful stereotypes and fostering a society that values the diverse experiences and contributions of all its members

Ashley Jarvis & Connor Goodpaster - The First-Generation Student Experience: A Multi-Division Student Panel

In order to best support a particular student population, it is important to know who they are, what their experience looks like, and what kinds of support they need. It can also be helpful to know what it means to them to be a part of that student population. The first generation college student experience is complex. For some students, this identity is a core part of their experience. For others, it is a secondary or even tertiary identity they do not often consider. Previous research indicates that while it may not be salient for all, the first-generation college student identity does have a real and tangible impact. We also know that this impact varies for each student based on other aspects of their identity. This presentation will take the form of a student panel in which First-Generation students from several divisions at Miami University answer questions about their college experience to help the advising community better understand how salient this particular identity is for our students and to determine points of need as well as points of strength. We hope to learn how to better support, yes, but also how to better celebrate the diversity of this population and that it contributes to the overall Miami University student population. In addition to pre-determined questions, there will be time for attendees to ask questions that they may have for the student panelists and/or the facilitators.

Erin Wahler & Nick Stanford - Roundtables

Join others in the Miami community to discuss hot topics in advising and higher education. Erin and Nick will choose discussion topics based on what the group wants to discuss

Student Affairs Speaks -  7-10 minute presentations that offer quick updates or insights from the following:

Mel Wanninger, Farmer School of Business Advising

Karla Guinigundo, Office of Global Initiatives

Helen Koons, Farmer School of Business Advising

President: Jacob Drees, Farmer School of Business Global Business Programs

Treasurer: Madeleine Hood, College of Arts and Sciences Advising

Secretary: Valerie Butterfield, Honors College Advising 

Annual Symposium Committee:

Manages all details and logistics for the annual MUASAA symposium, budgeting, the call for proposals, and awards.

• Valerie Butterfield, Honors College Advising (Chair)
• Laura Birkenhauer, University Libraries
• Jordyn Clark, Honors College Advising
• Amber Lohrey, Regional Campus Advising
• Tracey Hayes, College of Creative Arts Advising
• Ashley Jarvis, Farmer School of Business Advising
• Ghada Mahdi, Rinella Learning Center
• Lori Parks, Regional Campus Advising
• Rachel Stevens, Farmer School of Business Advising
• Chelsia Potts, Exploratory Studies Advising

Community Development Committee:

Plans monthly community development events including selecting topics, securing speakers, and executing the event. Arranges new advisor welcome gifts.

• Conor Burns, Farmer School of Business Advising (Chair)
• Ghada Mahdi, Rinella Learning Center
• Lori Parks, Regional Campus Advising
• Kindra Lierz, Farmer School of Business Advising
• Tracey Hayes, College of Creative Arts Advising
• Mel Wanninger, Farmer School of Business Advising

Professional Development Committee:

Plans monthly professional development events including selecting topics, securing speakers, and executing the event. Arranges and picks up (as needed) catering for monthly events and secures thank you gifts for speakers. Annually distributes professional development survey to members.

• Patrick Dowling, Regional Campus Advising (Chair)
• Mel Wanninger, Farmer School of Business Advising
• Jordyn Clark, Honors College Advising
• Christe McKittrick, Department of Media, Journalism, and Film
• Monticha Sompolvorachi, Department of Commerce

Communications Committee:

Committee co-creates monthly newsletter. Each member is assigned an area of the newsletter to work on and submit each month. Committee members assist with MUASAA website updates.

• Connor Goodpaster, Farmer School of Business Advising (Chair)
• Julia Pond, Regional Campus Advising
• Teresa Radomski-Bomba, Honors College Advising

Assessment Committee:

The purpose of the MUASAA Assessment Committee is to provide centralized assessment of any and all things related to advising. This includes, but is not limited to divisional, departmental, and individual advising; a climate survey evaluating the support advisors receive from their respective departments, divisions, and the university at large; and provide post-assessments for MUASAA-sponsored programs and initiatives. The goal of the committee is to create a culture of assessment and data-driven decision-making around advising on Miami’s campuses. The role of the committee is not only to administer these surveys, but also to conduct data analysis and create divisional, departmental, and individual advisor reports after all members have been IRB trained.

• Nick Stanford, College of Engineering and Computing Advising
• Erin Wahler, Honors College Advising
• Cory Duchesneau, Farmer School of Business Advising
• Chelsia Potts, Office of the Provost
• Wyatt Bischoff, College of Engineering and Computing Advising
• Dr. Genesis Ross, Education, Health, and Society Advising
• Conor Burns, Farmer School of Business Advising