Inaugural Advising Symposium Draws Over 100 Attendees, Uniting Advising Professionals Statewide for Connection and Collaboration

On September 6, 2024, over 100 professionals from various higher education institutions gathered for the Inaugural Advising Symposium. This symposium was geared towards Academic Advisors, Faculty Advisors, and student support professionals and put together by the Advising Community at Idaho State (AC@IS), which is an affiliated member of NACADA: the National Academic Advising Association. It created a unique opportunity for collaboration, networking, and learning at a regional and state level.

Attendees participated in sessions that encouraged knowledge sharing and discussion, helping foster new ideas and connections among colleges and universities. The half-day event featured a small but diverse lineup of sessions ranging from Student Development Theory and Emotional Intelligence, to How to Give Bad News and Avoiding Advisor Burnout. Additionally, there were sessions tailored toward specific student populations such as students in distress, Student-Athletes, and even Transfer students. The Transfer session provided the opportunity for discussion with advising professionals from across the state as participants evaluated how we could collaborate to improve the student experience. 

"We are thrilled with the turnout and the level of engagement throughout the event," said Tiffany Sorensen, Planning Committee Chair. "This event started as a side conversation and quickly gained momentum. It's inspiring to see so many Idaho institutions come together to discuss challenges and opportunities related to advising in higher education. We believe that events like this are essential for strengthening the profession of advising and advancing student success".

Institutions represented at the event included Idaho State University, Boise State University, College of Eastern Idaho, College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, and Brigham Young University - Idaho. With such a wide range of perspectives and experiences in the room, attendees had the chance to learn from one another and explore collaborative solutions to common challenges.

Given the success of this year’s event, plans are already in motion to expand to a full-day event to continue fostering collaboration across colleges and universities in the region. Organizers are hopeful that this will become an annual tradition, further solidifying ISU as a hub for best practices in academic advising.

For more information about the Advising Community at Idaho State or to stay updated on future events, please visit isu.edu/acis/ or email advcommunity@isu.edu.