Bridging Theory and Practice
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UT’s annual Academic Advising & Student Success Conference provides an opportunity to draw from our collective knowledge and reconnect with our regional community. The theme of this year’s conference is “Bridging Theory and Practice,” with concurrent sessions centered around:
- Transitions & Transformative Experiences
- Access & Engagement
- Collaboration

Dr. Kyle Ross is the Executive Director of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Kyle served in several leadership roles of the association since he became a member in 2012, including as Chair of the Undecided and Exploratory Students Advising Community, Division Representative on the Council, Board Member, and President of the Board of Directors. During his term on the Board of Directors, Kyle led strategic planning processes for the association and led a team through a comprehensive review of the association Bylaws. Kyle has 12 years of experience in academic advising and advising administration. Professional roles have included advising undecided and exploratory students and health profession students at Washington State University, advising first-generation students at Eastern Washington State University, and supervising a team of 15 academic advisors in the College of Business at Oregon State University. He has presented and published on parallel planning, alternative advising, social justice, advisor wellbeing, and solution-focused techniques in advising. He earned a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Washington, and a master’s in counseling and doctorate in educational leadership from Washington State University. His research focused on capacity-building, adult and organizational learning, and student attrition, using action research methods.
September 9 | UT Student Union
8:00 – 9:00 | Check-In & Breakfast
Bridging Theory and Practice to Navigate the Rapidly-Changing Landscape of Higher Education
Room: Pilot Ball Room
Higher education is experiencing a time of rapid change due to catalysts like the enrollment cliff, the evolution of AI, and the mental health crisis that students are experiencing. Now, more than ever, academic advising and student success professionals must think creatively around how to ensure students’ complex needs are addressed to accomplish their academic, career, and personal goals. During this keynote session, we will explore opportunities for collaboration to reconsider existing practices, to eliminate barriers to access and engagement, and to maximize students’ experiences in higher education.
Using Motivational Interviewing in Student Success
Presenter: Bee Clevenger
Room: 262A
Description: This session is intended to help student success professionals utilize motivational interviewing (MI) techniques to elicit more meaningful conversations with students who are struggling and promote change. Traditionally used in community and behavioral health settings, MI can be used in student success settings to create equilibrium, deconstruct biases, reject power struggles, and help students identify their motivation for success and personal strengths. MI is effective in helping ambivalent students resolve indecision and find value in their educational experience without coercion from support professionals. In this session, participants will learn about the stages of change and how to identify where a student falls on this spectrum. They will also learn about the spirit of MI, its goals and functions, and how to build motivation for change using the OARS method. This session will also give practical examples of how to reconstruct language used in support settings to build better connections and promote meaningful results.
Can AI Be A Volunteer? The Emerging Digital Footprint of AI on Rocky Top Student Success
Presenters: Lisa Byrd, Rachel Duncan, Jake Working
Room: 262B
Description: The adoption of innovative AI technologies such as ChatGPT is spreading rapidly across our nation’s college campuses. But, to what end are we using (or ignoring) this technology? Discussions and scholarship about AI’s influence on Higher Education have revolved mainly around issues of plagiarism and the implications for academic research. There is less discussion about how AI might affect the student success realm. In this facilitated discussion, we will give a broad overview of emerging AI technologies, specifically UT Verse. Then, we will share findings about how students here at UTK are using those technologies. We will lead discussions about some possible scenarios, their implications for student success, and concerns to consider. Finally, we expect these discussions to outline options for what next steps the advising community might take as we attempt to navigate these new horizons.
Advising High-Achieving Students: Collaborating with First-Semester Freshmen for Long-Term Academic Success
Presenters: Laurel Cox, Dr. Mary Cooper
Room: 262C
Description: High-achieving students are a population present within every college at UT, Knoxville. Our goal is to share techniques and ideas to help advisors assist their students in finding long-term success, particularly within their freshman year as they transition from high school to college. This presentation will explore the qualities that define the high-achieving student population, the unique factors impacting high-achieving and honors students, best developmental approaches when working with this population, and techniques for both advisors and students to utilize for personal and professional success.
In Our Teaching Era
Presenters: Kayla Blouin, Meg Claxton
Room: 362A
Description: If a student shares with you that they are interested in teaching, do you know how to support them in that process? Are you Ready For It? Students often have concerns about becoming a teacher and need support as they navigate both UT degree requirements and State of Tennessee licensure requirements. We know that feeling All Too Well, but don’t worry, there won’t be any Bad Blood, you can just Shake it Off. Join us as we take inspiration from Taylor Swift and share how we address common concerns about the profession and support students as they navigate the process. We don’t want anyone to feel like they are in Exile, Long Story Short, this is going to be The Best Day.
How Experiential Learning Theory and Clifton Strengths overlap to promote academic resiliency and self-efficacy
Presenters: Katrina Alvarez, Robyn Rambo Stanley
Room: 362B
Description: The University of Tennessee’s Strategic Vision is calling for a system-wide improvement in students’ sense of mattering and belonging. This system-wide objective challenges the association commonly made between student retention and incoming revenue by prioritizing well-being as an indicator of success as a higher education institution. During this presentation, we will introduce a framework that combines Experiential Learning styles with Clifton Strengths in facilitation of students’ sense of self, mattering and belonging, promotion of continued learning, holistic success, and academic well-being.
Approaches to Difficult Conversations: An Open Forum
Presenter: Juliana Spradling
Room: 362C
Description: College is hard, and so is our job when we have to have difficult conversations with students. Sometimes students are going to react strongly, and that is not your fault. The best thing we can do is have empathy and explain the policy. But these policies are confusing and can lead to anxiety not only for the student but also for staff. This presentation and workshop is meant to provide examples and tips to have these conversations effectively. Communication is key, but also effective communication to meet the student where they are, while maintaining the integrity of our profession. This workshop is founded in Sanford’s Challenge & Support Theory, and examples and recommendations will be rooted in Magolda’s Self-Authorship theory. This will be an extremely collaborative session, where staff are encouraged to share their experiences and help other advisors from their experiences.
Virtual Orientation Advising: Did It Work? A Year in Review
Presenter: Jake Working
Room: 262A
Description: Since switching to 100% virtual orientation advising in the summer of 2020, the University of Tennessee is just now starting to explore hybrid and in-person advising options for summer orientation. While the decision to originally go virtual was a necessity, the future of orientation advising’s modality should be driven by data. This study followed the 1,100 students who engaged in summer 2023 virtual orientation advising through the Tickle College of Engineering throughout their entire first year. Data was collected at three points: after the conclusion of summer orientation advising (1), and again after fall (2) and spring (3) advising. Analysis and recommendations will be made with respect to student perceptions, feedback, and knowledge from their advising appointments from the academic year. Note: The findings from the summer 2023 data collection point was presented at last year’s Academic Advising & Student Success Conference.
Subtle Yet Significant: Using Stealth Advising to Cultivate Growth and Meaning in Everyday Conversations
Presenters: Raini Sizemore, Sarah Taylor, Shay Riggs
Room: 262B
Description: In a time where the practical benefits of education are increasingly scrutinized, it is pivotal for advisors and coaches to highlight the value, worth, and opportunities in higher education. However, given constraints of brief appointments and targeted objectives, we must learn to weave this understanding into conversations without compromising efficiency. In this session, we explore stealth advising (Wei, 2022), a set of strategies aimed to embed meaningful dialogue and self-reflection into everyday interactions. This approach not only enables advisors and coaches to use developmental and transformational techniques but also encourages curiosity, exploration, and self-reflection. Stealth advising respects constraints of appointments while fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of higher education. Through case studies, roleplay, and hands-on exercises, attendees will learn how to integrate stealth advising into their own practice. Attendees will leave empowered to transform appointments into experiences that resonate with students and underscore the benefits of their education.
Coloring Success: Addressing Systemic Challenges in Higher Education for LGBTQ+ Students of Color
Presenters: Abraham Cervantes, Malachi Frederick
Room: 262C
Description: This presentation addresses systemic challenges faced by LGBTQ+ students of color in higher education. Discrimination, lack of representation, and institutional biases hinder their access and success. Participants will gain insight into these barriers and explore effective support strategies. They’ll learn about inclusive policies, culturally responsive support services, and campus resources. The importance of fostering inclusive environments through culturally responsive practices will be emphasized. Attendees will discover innovative methods for creating affirming spaces and promoting academic, social, and emotional success. The session also facilitates networking opportunities for exchanging ideas and strategies. By working collaboratively, we aim to create a more equitable and supportive educational environment for LGBTQ+ students of color.
Bridging the Gap for Distance Learning Students
Presenter: Brittany Hunt-Woods, Jennifer Davis
Room: 362A
Description: Over the past three years, distance education programs have seen significant growth at UTK. This session aims to explore the current landscape of these programs and identify opportunities for collaboration to improve the online learning experience for all students. We will provide an overview of the current state of distance education and outline our future goals. Key topics will include the challenges faced, progress made, and strategies for collaborative efforts to support our distance learners through effective advising and student success initiatives. Join us for an interactive discussion on enhancing support for distance education students.
Transforming the Transition: Capitalizing on First-Year Students’ Community Cultural Wealth
Presenters: Kayla Biller, JT Faccone
Room: 362B
Description: Operationalizing cultural capital in key touchpoints of first-year students’ transitions to higher education is critical to fostering a standard of student-ready colleges that opposes pre-existing notions of needing to be a college-ready student (Dumais & Ward, 2010). Reimagining the high-impact practices of first-year students, like orientation programming, academic advising, and first-year seminars to capitalize on Yosso’s Model of Community Cultural Wealth and navigational capital a student comes to an institution with will produce a new perspective on diverse student needs, create alternatives to the one-model-fits-all all way institutions currently operate, and establish realistic practices with achievable outcomes (Yosso, 2005). Actualizing the cultural capital that students bring with them to higher education institutions will personalize key transition resources to reestablish what success looks like for students and institutional initiatives.
Making every connection count: Integrating the Appreciative Advising Model in a decentralized advising structure
Presenter: April Gonzalez
Room: 362C
Description: How do you create a sense of meaning and connection with students when you may only meet with them one time throughout their entire academic experience at your institution? In this session, we will highlight how the Advising Resource Center (ARC) at Roane State Community College incorporates the appreciative advising model (Bloom, J.L., Hutson, B.L. & He, Y., 2008) to create mattering and belonging for students in a decentralized advising structure that is spread across nine campuses, and is predominately online. This session will give an overview of the model, how ARC has incorporated these tenets into their daily operations and faculty advisor training, as well as a discussion of future goals. Participants will leave with a toolkit of ideas on how to incorporate appreciative advising techniques into their advising sessions.
12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch
In Sickness and in Health: Strategies for Supporting Students with Chronic Illnesses
Presenter: Kelli Frawley
Room: 262A
Description: In this interactive session, participants will learn strategies for supporting students with chronic illnesses, a growing population with specific needs. In 2019 – 2020, 21% of incoming undergraduate students in the US reported having a disability (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). At the University of Tennessee, 12% of students with disability accommodations have a chronic illness (SDS, 2024). Conversations about supporting students with chronic illnesses are increasingly necessary. A 2023 study found that students with chronic illnesses experienced disparities in the quality of support offered by staff members with varying levels of chronic illness awareness (Hamilton et al.) Quality support was most often associated with higher levels of knowledge about chronic illness. Participants of this session will increase their knowledge about chronic illness through an exploration of Spoon Theory, Gibson’s Disability Identity Model, and emerging chronic illness research, resulting in an increased aptitude for working with chronically ill students.
A Holistic Advising Approach (Taylor’s Version)
Presenters: Emily Brandel, Emily Neely
Room: 262B
Description: This presentation will provide strategies, tips, and resources to support students throughout every transitional “era” of their college experience. Advisors across all settings have the opportunity to be a guide to students as they encounter many challenges in and outside of academics. We will explore the many transitions students face during their short time in college and collaboratively discuss ways to support them, challenges they could be experiencing to consider, and brainstorm transformational experiences to share with students in our advising practice. We will start from the beginning with the transition from high school to college and then dive into the many twists and turns students encounter such as changes in academic interests, career pathways, financial aid, academic performance, curriculum, and trust in the institution. Come explore and collaborate with us on best advising practices for a holistic approach through the lens of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Let’s Get Digital: Building Technological Bridges between Students and Advisors
Presenters: Alicia Luc, Genevieve Stresing
Room: 262C
Description: Come join us as we discuss innovative ideas to enrich our student’s development with various forms of technology. In this session, we will give you tools to increase your own digital literacy, ways to enhance advising using technology, and best of all, ways to save time! Bring your laptop to create materials in session that will support Student Digital Literacy and success.
“So you want to be a. . . .” Jump starting career planning within the 30-minute advising appointment
Presenters: Ashleigh Powers, Brian Schmid, Hannah Frankel, Cidae’a Woods, Cassie Bennett, Shay Riggs, Cameron Hatcher
Room: 362A
Description: From career exploration to advanced planning for targeted career goals, advisors engage in transformational conversations about career at all stages of student development. While students finding their passion is a particularly rewarding moment, the advanced, detailed career planning that follows can be overwhelming for both the student and advisor, especially as the range of available careers grow and preparation for them evolves. To address this complexity and to meet student desires to have structured advice related to common careers, the Psychology Advising Center has collaborated with our faculty and alumni to identify popular career paths within psychology and to develop web-based “padlets” to assist in teaching students about these careers. In this presentation, our PAC advisors share these career padlets and discuss how they were developed. Our goal is to offer a sustainable career research model that can be adapted to assist students within a wide range of careers.
Empowering Transitions: Cultivating Inclusive Undergraduate Research Experiences
Presenter: Janna Harvey
Room: 362B
Description: Embracing a culture of inclusion in undergraduate research is pivotal in fostering transformative experiences for students. Our session will delve into how we at the University of Tennessee (UT) are actively shaping a landscape where all students, regardless of background, can engage meaningfully in research. We will showcase the diversity of research opportunities available, the collaborative efforts between students, faculty, and staff through the Office of Undergraduate Research & Fellowship (URF), and innovative programs to enhance access for underrepresented groups. This presentation will be similar to the one URF offered last year.
CliftonStrengths, Who’s She? Come Get the Tea
Presenters: Brooke Squires, Krystyne Savarese
Room: 362C
Description: Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment is one tool being employed to help our students understand their unique talents and how they might approach academic success differently than their peers. This session will share why UT is investing in this resource, review how CliftonStrengths is used to highlight unique talents and abilities, discuss how the assessment is currently being used on campus, and introduce a new professional development series that will be launching for our advising community. (No tea will be provided in the course of this workshop.)
Keynote Speaker’s Featured Session: Emerging Practices for Systemic Change of Academic Advising
Presenter: Dr. Kyle Ross
Room: 262B
Description: As institutions have critically evaluated models and delivery of academic advising, several large-scale changes have emerged for institution-wide improvement. We will discuss what institutions have learned to implement career ladders for advancement and progression, to design comprehensive training and development programs for advisors and student success professionals, and to achieve consistency in the student experience with academic advising. Following up from the keynote presentation, this session will include time for Q&A around the state of academic advising in higher education and as a profession.
Transformative Connections: Elevating Campus Outreach through Collaboration and Innovation
Presenters: Megan King, Ali Smith, LaDawna Williams
Room: 262C
Description: Actively engaging students outside of the classroom is a key element of outreach in higher education. Researchers have found that educationally purposeful, resource-rich, and multi-dimensional engagement contributes significantly to the emotional, cognitive, and intellectual development of students (Evans, 1987; Rest 1993). Furthermore, students who intentionally engage outside of the classroom are more likely to persist to graduation ((e.g., Astin, 1975, 1993; Bean, 1990, 2005; Berger & Milem, 1999; Braxton, Milem, & Sullivan, 2000; Bridges, Cambridge, Kuh, & Leegwater, 2005; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Peltier, Laden, & Matranga, 1999; Stage & Hossler, 2000; Tinto, 1993, 2000, 2005). Unfortunately, competing student priorities can make it difficult to entice students to attend events or engage when they’re already struggling to balance their current schedules. In this program learn how large-scale collaborations between a variety of offices and organizations, can serve to maximize engagement, leverage resources, reach a larger audience, and ultimately increase impact.
UT Sorority & Fraternity Life – A Transformative Student Experience
Presenters: Lindi Barillaro, Jennifer Pierce Thomas
Room: 362A
Description: Discover the vibrant Sorority and Fraternity Community at UTK, where one in four undergraduate students participate. Gain insights into membership statistics, member expectations, the recruitment and intake process, and the core values of these organizations. Furthermore, explore conversation starters to engage your students in discussions about their sorority and fraternity experiences, their impact on well-being, sense of belonging, academic achievements, and skill enhancement. Conclude by linking common experiences of sorority and fraternity members with the NACE Career Competencies.
Will You Accept This Rose?: Finding Your Connection to Theory…For the Right Reasons
Presenters: Nick Grant, Madeline Anderson, Ross Johnson
Room: 362B
Description: Can we steal you for a second? Are you a fan of the Bachelor or Bachelorette? Have you found yourself wondering how reality tv relates to advising and the student experience? Believe it or not, there are many milestones throughout a season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette that share similarities to the experience of college students navigating their new academic journey. This pop culture inspired session will discuss links between the Bachelor/Bachelorette and students’ experiences navigating the transition to college and choosing/declaring their “perfect match” major through the lens of career, advising, and student development theory. Through reflection and discussion, attendees will draw connections between theories, examine their daily practice in advising, and find community within Bachelor Nation.
Unreasonable Advising and The Power of Moments
Presenter: Christopher Kelley
Room: 362C
Description: You’re invited to my book club, but don’t worry you didn’t need to read the book! It is important to take a look outside of the university/higher education setting at times to gather new ideas and perspectives. This presentation is based on two books, “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara and “The Power of Moments” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, focused on business/hospitality that have important lessons that we can apply to our work in student success. The presentation will focus on broad themes of the importance of relationship building, creating transformational moments, and going the extra mile in support of our students.
The Year Ahead: A Session for Internal Attendees Presenter: Dr. Melissa Irvin Room: 180 This closing session will outline undergraduate student success priorities at the University and discuss upcoming goals for the advising & coaching communities, highlighting ongoing revisions to professional development and the career ladder. Key findings from the most recent Advising Pulse survey will be presented. Other topics will include progress updates on the academic advising strategic plan and the implementation of Salesforce. Support for Students in Transition: A Session for External Attendees Presenters: Mary Beth Burlison, Meghann Overholt, Ginny Valentin Room: 262B This closing session will highlight Transfer Center priorities at the University and review their ongoing and upcoming initiative to support a positive transfer student experience. Digital Learning will then share how the newly established Learner Services team can help transfer students navigate the evolving landscape of online learning at UT. Audience members will also have dedicated time to discuss questions with leadership from these two teams to help foster future collaboration.