2010 Assessment Institute Region 1 Scholarship Winner:
Ana Ketler, University of Massachusetts Boston
Last February, I attended the 2010 NACADA Institute on Assessment of Academic Advising. This experience modified the way in which I approach my advising work. I connect more closely my daily interaction with students and faculty to my institution's larger goals of student persistence and student retention. Assessment of advising is now something I take into account as I develop projects and formulate goals, not as an afterthought once the work has been completed.
A few months after attending the Assessment Institute, I took the position of Director of Major Advising in our College of Liberal Arts. Mine is a newly created department, expected to impact faculty advising and to improve retention. As the department and my role develop, the tools I learned at the Assessment Institute guide me in setting concrete, quantifiable goals with built-in assessment measures. I am grateful for the NACADA Region 1 scholarship because it enabled me to incorporate the fundamental layer of assessment to my work, both as an experienced advisor, and as a new administrator. |
