Naomi Wright, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 10 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

Regional Activities/Offices Held, including accomplishments achieved while in office:

• Was an active participant on the committee the year our university hosted our Regional Conference.

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

• No, but that also is my next goal. Out office has changed in management and we now have someone in place who encourages being active in associations etc.

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Current member: Advising Student Athletes Commission, Assessment of Advising Commission
• Current member: Probation, Dismissal and Reinstatement Issues Interest Group and Peer Advising and Mentoring Interest Group

Other:

• Attended NACADA Summer Institute, St. Paul, MN, 2005
• New Jersey City University activities:
  • New Jersey City University Advisory Board
  • Past President, Secretary, on Board of Directors for Black Administrators and Faculty Staff, Student Organization (BAAFSSO)
  • Judiciary Leader for Student Support Services at NJCU
• President and Executive Officer of R and N Wright Associates Corp.
• My passion has been with students at-risk academically.
• To date, I have not served in any official capacity on any Boards. However, I have been on other National Board of Directors and held positions that require similar duties.

Platform Statement:

• Highlight your involvement in this unit that will help you in leading this unit. What roles have you played in this unit thus far?  

Assessment in Higher Education is at the forefront of key and strategic issues that will cause most institutions to move forward in their mission statements, development and success strategies. As an academic advisor for the past 27 years, our office has made the focus of our everyday activities assessment.  At last year's NACADA Summer Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota, I made a special effort to attend most, if not all, of the sessions positioning themselves on the areas of assessment. Assessment became a major part of our department's mission statement. As a result, I have made a concerted effort to have every student on my caseload complete a survey to give us feedback on the services we provide. In addition, I am responsible for leading a seminar to assist probationary students with creating strategies that will help remove them from probation and move towards excellent academic progress. This past year I have built in several assessment tools to measure the impact the program has made on the students.

• What do you believe are the most important goals and initiatives for this unit in meeting the strategic plan for both the unit and the Association?  

The most important goal is to make sure that there is interaction and in-put from the colleges and universities across the board. Data can and will bring about similarities and differences that can allow the association to make sensible strategic changes to implement in the overall assessment plan. Doing a comparison analysis could assist in preventing long-range outcomes form missing the benchmarks implemented initially. NACADA has a long history of sifting out vital and crucial information that can in the long run project positive results. Therefore, I feel there are three initial goals that should be considered:

1. Have the unit come up with a universal theme centered on assessment in advising.
2. Have colleges and universities focus on this national assessment theme that will create an atmosphere of collaboration.
3. Create an electronic survey that can promote turnaround feedback of ideas, suggestions, and experience that can foster a strategic plan for the unit.

• Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? 

I am at the crossroads of my professional development. I have completed three master programs, currently have my ABD and have 27 years of experience in advising along with other higher education positions. I have driven in the back seat observing NACADA's efforts for years. My desire to want to take on a leadership position stems from knowing that, for the most part, I can do well in a Leadership position. I have sat on several boards and know well that any position comes with responsibilities. Our office has made assessment a priority and it was the center of our last staff retreat. Serving in this capacity would be a high priority for me. I have approached my supervisor and have been given the green light to move forward in this direction. NACADA has served me well over the past 15 years - it is certainly my time to now render my services and appropriately give back.

• Provide any additional comments or information regarding your past experiences and qualifications that relate to your candidacy for this leadership position. 

My past experience in education has afforded me an opportunity to explore new areas of education and initiative without reservation. As a result, I have gained not only new knowledge in the end, but a different way of managing and approching learning. Applying for this position enables me to execute my leadership skills in a new venue - NACADA. First principle as a leader was to go in and research Assessment in Advising. Along the way I discovered that many institutions are currently using alternative assessment in HE. They are looking at a learner-centered approach. I think this is an avenue that has yet to be tapped. As a chair and leader, I would encourage others like me to dare to be different and further explore "all" possibilities and definitely new avenues for addressing assessment in advisement. I am a person that welcomes a new challenge where it is OK to work just a wee bit harder, stir up a little dandruff, in order to (in the long run) make a little or hopefully a significant difference in our abilities to expound and improve on our services to the students, community, and institutions.