Professional Development
Advising Professional Development
Professional Development Opportunities
Professional development is important for your personal and professional growth. Consistently investing in yourself enables you to better serve students, stay current in your field, and actively contribute to the advising community here at Texas A&M University. In addition, it enables you to consistently assess, evaluate, and improve student programs offered through your office. As you grow in your career, your engagement in professional development opportunities changes depending on your professional aspirations. Below are a few ways for you to be proactive in your professional development. UAC encourages all advisors to contribute to the advising community by presenting at conferences, attending on campus trainings or events, researching current trends in the field, and setting professional goals. Review the websites of professional organizations below, as well as opportunities at Texas A&M University, to develop your own plan for professional development.
Professional Organizations
Texas Academic Advising Network (TEXAAN)
TEXAAN serves as a professional representation of academic advising in Texas by providing professional development, networking, recognition, and dissemination of information.
National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
Association of professional advisors, counselors, faculty, administrators, and students working to enhance the educational development of students.
Region 7 Conference: February | National Conference: October
Variety of Institutes offered throughout the year NACADA Webinars | Advising Communities related to different advising topics
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
Provide professional development, guidelines and voluntary standards to be used by higher education officials regarding the best practices in records management, admissions, enrollment management, and administrative information technology and student services. It also provides a forum for discussion regarding policy initiation and development, interpretation and implementation at the institutional level and in the global educational community.
Variety of conferences throughout the year | National Meeting in March
Association of International Educators (NAFSA)
NAFSA believes that international education advances learning and scholarship, fosters understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, is essential for developing globally competent individuals.
American College Personnel Association- College Student Educators International (ACPA)
Mission: ACPA supports and fosters college student learning through the generation and dissemination of knowledge, which informs, policies, practices and programs for student affairs professionals and the higher education community. Vision: ACPA leads the student affairs profession and the higher education community in providing outreach, advocacy, research, and professional development to foster college student learning.
National Convention | March
National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A)
NACDA serves as the professional association for those in the field of athletics administration, providing educational opportunities and serves as a vehicle for networking and the exchange of information to others in the profession.
Annual Convention | Calendar of various events
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
NACE is the leading source of information on the employment of the college educated, and forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks starting salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks.
National Conference | typically in June NACE events throughout the year
National Conference for Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE)
NCORE® is designed to provide a significant forum for discussion, critical dialogue, and exchange of information as institutions search for effective strategies to enhance access, social development, education, positive communication, and cross-cultural understanding in culturally diverse settings.
Annual Conference | typically late May- early June
National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS)
NISTS focuses on transfer students and bridges knowledge, policies, and practice by bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to explore the issues related to the transfer process in order to facilitate student success and degree completion.
Annual Conference | February
The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition serves education professionals by supporting and advancing efforts to improve student learning and transitions into and through higher education.
National Conference on Students in Transition |Typically in October or November | Annual Conference on the First Year Experience - February Institute on First-Generation College Students Institute on Peer Leaders Institute on Sophomore Success
National Student Leadership Diversity Convention (NSLDC)
NSLDC is the largest national gathering of student leaders and campus based advisors to address the most critical topics of diversity and social justice challenging campuses today.
National Convention | Typically November | Additional diversity conferences throughout the year
Mission: To be the principal source of leadership, scholarship, professional development, and advocacy for student affairs.
National Conference | March | Region 6: November Additional events and webinars throughout the year
Academic Impressions (AI) serves higher education professionals by providing educational products and services that help institutions tackle key, strategic challenges.
Academic Impressions conferences, trainings, webinars, workshops
Mission: To provide strategic enrollment and fundraising solutions that support and guide partner organizations to advance relationships, achieve their goals, and fulfill their missions.