Academic Advising in Higher Education
Daneiva Allevato
ELCS - Spring 2015
Leadership: Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising
Max Savishansky Ed.d - Director of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Advising
He is an accomplished leader, manager, educator, and entrepreneur, with extensive expertise in education management, academic and training program development and delivery, and international and intercultural relations. As UAA Advising Director he leads UAA Advising staffing, operations, budgets, programs, and events; oversees long-term planning and priority-setting for UAA Advising; develops and sustains collaborative relationships around campus in order to deepen and improve academic planning work; participates in the leadership of Undergraduate Academic Affairs; connects the work of Advising and UAA with regional and national conversations about higher education.
Tim McCoy Ed.d- General Adviser
Having really enjoyed my two anthropology courses at Whatcom Community College, I chose to major in anthropology when I transferred to Iowa State University. Because I wanted to learn more, I earned a Master of Arts degree in anthropology at Western Washington University, focusing on Ethnohistory and Native American Studies. That there are so many ways of life and types of knowledge, experience and perspective are insights I draw upon every day as an academic adviser. My doctoral dissertation, in the UW College of Education, focused on how staff, from a variety of educational institutions, approach this multifaceted business of undergraduate academic advising (University of Washington Website, 2015)
Ahnya Redman Ph.D- Pre-med Adviser
When I was an undergraduate at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, I felt like there wasn't enough time. I wanted a taste of everything — Native American poetry, chemistry, anthropology, history — but I eventually settled on a Biology major (after several changes of mind). I wasn't really done with school when I graduated, so I went on to earn a Master's in Entomology. Yes, that's bug science, although I studied butterflies, which are in a class by themselves, if you ask me. After that, I got a PhD in Ecology from Penn State and taught biology for about 12 years, first at Penn State and then at West Virginia University. I've been advising for almost three years, and I cherish the opportunity to help students achieve their goals and get the most out of their educational experience (University of Washington Website, 2015).
Common Themes Among Staff
Although many of the academic advisiers at UW in the office of Academic Affairs have a doctorae degree, UUA only requires a master's degree to be an adviser. Also, the majority of the biographies of the advisers emphasize the importance of thier advisiers during undergraduate experience. It seems as though many of the advisers at UW view academic advising as a key element in student success.
Chanira Reang Sperry M.ed- General Adviser
During my undergraduate studies, I was very confused. I couldn't decide upon one major and I found myself constantly changing my interests from Philosophy to Political Science to Marine Biology to Psychology, and then eventually I decided upon English Literature for my major with help from my Academic Adviser. After graduation, I worked as a Project Manager for an international fishing company. I missed the university environment and decided to become an Academic Adviser, so I pursued a Master's degree from the UW College of Education, where I studied Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. I have enjoyed advising students for more than a decade (University of Washington Website, 2015).