In a nondescript Louisville restaurant, over conference lunch and a couple of beers, a small group of individuals came together to imagine a new academic advising community for NACADA, one focused on the well-being of all engaged in the advising project – staff and students alike. NACADA is the Global Community for Academic Advising; its website vision tells us that it’s “the leading association globally for the advancement of student success through excellence in academic advising in higher education.” I’ve come to know it as my big, caring, professional family. This lunch group was mostly unfamiliar to me, but I could feel so quickly the depths of their compassion and excitement for what would eventually become the Well-being and Advisor Retention Advising Community.
I met Kacey and Jake for the first time that day – friendly and welcoming, with all of the expected Minnesota charm. Many advisors at that table talked about having experienced burn-out – or being in the depths of burn-out – and knowing from both observation and experience that we had to help our advisors be well, or we would continue to lose more talented folks from the profession. On March 17, 2020, we got notification that we were an official advising community. I just went back to find that old email, and welled up with tears. Little did I know how important this community was about to become.
Nearly two years later, I cannot imagine being an advisor through this pandemic without the support of this community. Sometimes just having a Zoom space to vent about the uncertainty was all that we needed to reset and be ready to work with students again. Our group has worked together on formal panels, informal social connections, online yoga and mindfulness sessions, social media, an Academic Advising Today article (co-authored by me, check it out!), and podcast series (where I jumped into a few episodes, give it a listen.) I am deeply proud of what we’ve done, and more so proud of the humans who’ve made it all happen.
We have a wealth of resources and strategies focused on treatment; questions of prevention are rare. We have not asked “how do we design advising structures to support advisor well-being?”
Gregerson, Sutton, & Miller 2022
Sharing my gratitude
In this spirit of gratitude, there are a few special folks to thank:
Kacey & Jake – This community, these connections, all of the support we have provided for one another – it’s because of you two. Watching this community develop from an idea to a flourishing group has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my professional career. I don’t think there’s any way to fully express my gratitude for you both.
Olivia – I am deeply grateful that raising our hands and volunteering to work on research brought us this friendship. I am constantly motivated and excited by your ideas and commitment to this work. I am so excited to continue this work together!
Edna Renee – I don’t know many people who can connect and support the way you do. My first memory of you was when you co-chaired the DC/Maryland/Virginia Region 2 conference, but we didn’t connect much then – I’m so glad this community has brought us closer together.
Lizzy – I remember your energy so clearly from that first meeting in Louisville… I was like, man, that’s a Liz I want to be more like! I’m so honored that we go to collaborate on a presentation for global advising week. I have learned so much from you and am thankful we’ve developed our Liz squared friendship!
As I head off to NACADA Region 2 – in person for the first time since 2019 – I am thrilled to see that there’s a well-being session during every single concurrent time slot. We’ve come a long way since my first stress and yoga presentation in 2018. Sending you all a wish for wellness in your lives, and NACADA Region 2 friends I’ll see you soon!
References
Gregerson, K., Sutton, L., & Miller, 0. (2022, March). From self-care to systemic change: The evolution of advisor well-being in NACADA. Academic Advising Today, 45(1).
