Academic Advising Portfolio - Division of Continuing Education ...

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awareness of the situation, advisees are then better able to make informed decisions congruent
with their values.
Academic advising, like learning, cannot occur in isolation. Just as we know students
learn more outside of the classroom than they do within, so too is advising not always done in
an isolated office setting. Advising should encourage students to connect with an institution in
some fashion, whether with faculty members, student organizations, or research opportunities.
Advisors should also be integrated into multiple parts of the institution, working with
administration, faculty, staff, and students to understand and advocate for the student
experience. As an advisor I value the credence students give to seeing faculty and staff outside
of their offices, and so I make an effort to be visible and accessible to students and to
participate in student events.
Higher education provides to society the investment in human capital. Higher education
has the potential to help one better oneself, contribute more meaningfully to society, and
pursue dreams of high aspirations. These goals do not merely happen to a student in higher
education but rather come through a mutual meeting of student and institution. An academic
advisor resides at this intersection, providing students awareness of their talents and guidance
about the paths that lie ahead.
References
Kuh, G. D. (2008). Advising for student success. In V. N. Gordon, W. R. Habley, & T. J. Grites
(Eds.), Academic advising: A comprehensive handbook (2 nd ed., pp. 68‐84). San
Francisco: Jossey‐Bass.