Academic Advisor Training and Professional Development

The Campus Advising Network (CAN) serves as a continuing professional development series for advisors at WKU. CAN offers a minimum of four professional development sessions per semester, and provides a means of communication for advisors through its listserv. 

To be officially assigned advisees, new faculty/staff advisors complete an online self-paced training modules that cover the basic aspects of TopNet. For this training, you can contact Marrissa Bryant at marrissa.bryant@wku.edu to request to be added to the New Advisor Training Blackboard organization. Once added, you will be able to access the self-paced content as well as helpful advisor review videos, documents, and resources. After you complete the online self-paced modules, you can set up a time to meet with your senior academic advisor individually to go over any questions you have related to the training content or academic advising.

A day-long Faculty/Staff Advisor Workshop is offered by the ACDC prior to the start of the fall semester. The workshops provides continuing professional development sessions for all types and levels of advisors at WKU.

The Student Success Summit is offered by the Division of Enrollement and Student Experience prior to the start of the spring semester. The goal of the one day conference is to provide a unique opportunity for faculty, staff and administrators to discuss best practices and collaboratively develop working strategies related to advising, retention, engagement and student success.

Sharing of course/program information, professional development opportunities, and general advising related information is shared via the CAN listserv. Advisors with information to share can send an e-mail to can@lists.wku.edu. In addition to advisor communication through the optional CAN listserv, all faculty/staff designated as advisors are added to the official advising listserv. A monthly communication with updates and information is shared through this medium as well as any immediate, official announcements. 

More information on training and professional development opportunities for academic advisors, along with other advising related content, can be found on the Advising website. Questions or comments may also be directed to us.