As we all hunker down and stay warm this winter, I am reminded daily that academic advising truly is teaching—be it working with an incoming student to help them understand the culture of college, to helping a transfer student identify their path toward graduation, to mentoring a new advising colleague. We all engage in activities that may differ as we compare our day-to-day tasks, but we are all doing important work. Work that matters. JACADA can help support you as an academic advisor, advising administrator, career advisor, faculty mentor/advisor, or recorder, along with many other staff and faculty roles designed with student success in mind.
It was exciting this year to announce that JACADA was moving away from being a dues-paying organization to allowing free membership, thanks to the generous support from the Division of Undergraduate Education. This year, the JACADA leadership considered the priorities for the organization and chose three areas of focus: advocacy, communication, and engagement. As the various committees and programs are planned, these three ideas are at the forefront of all decision-making.
We welcome new ideas, new energy, and new people at any JACADA-sponsored activity or meeting. We hope to see you soon!
Advisors rock!
Kyle McCool, JACADA president