Intentional upskilling helps advisors strengthen core competencies, explore new areas of interest, and document meaningful contributions to their unit and institution.
Below are ways academic advisors can engage in professional development, both on campus and beyond the university.
Why Upskilling Matters
Upskilling allows advisors to:
- Stay current with advising best practices, policies, and technologies
- Build confidence in complex student situations
- Expand leadership, assessment, and training skills
- Align professional growth with institutional goals
- Provide concrete evidence of growth and impact for annual performance reviews and Reappointment and Promotion materials for Academic Specialists.
Tip: Keep a running document of professional development activities, reflections, and outcomes. This makes annual review and R&P preparation much easier.
On-Campus Professional Development Opportunities
MSU offers a range of learning opportunities right on campus:
Internal Workshops & Trainings
- The Undergraduate Academic Advisor Resources and Engagement team provides live and asynchronous training and development opportunities specifically for MSU academic advisors.
- Explore the Events calendar to see upcoming events for the current semester.
- The Systems and Data page provides a variety of videos and guides for using different student systems, including ESAF and SIS.
- Career Development provides a list of ways to get involved on campus and a collection of employee resources.
- Human Resources learning and development workshops
- Checkout WorkLife Wellbeing opportunities, like Compassion Fatigue and Relaxing Under the Stars
- Organization and Professional Development offers seminars on communication skills, leadership, and personal development.
Teaching, Learning, and Pedagogy
The Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation provide workshops relevant to advising, such as:
- Inclusive teaching and advising practices
- Trauma-informed approaches
- Assessment and learning outcomes
Committees, Workgroups, and Communities of Practice
There are numerous committees and working groups you can join based on your interests and areas you want to make an impact:
- Serve on university or divisional committees
- Join advising councils or cross-unit workgroups
- Participate in communities of practice focused on equity, advising, or student success
These experiences demonstrate service, collaboration, and leadership.
Institutional Research & Data Trainings
- Learning how to access and interpret student data by attending a workshop hosted by Institutional Research
- Trainings on dashboards, reporting tools, or assessment methods specifically for advisors is available on the UAARE website.
Professional Development Beyond Campus
Looking outward can broaden perspectives and strengthen professional identity. Here are a few ways to expand your professional development to opportunities external to MSU.
Professional Associations
Engaging with professional organizations helps advisors stay connected to the field. Here are a few examples:
- NACADA – The Global Community for Academic Advising – is a professional organization that supports and promotes quality academic advising in higher education
- MIACADA is the Michigan chapter of NACADA and is a great place to get involved at the local level
- Appreciative Advising is a student-centered, collaborative approach that uses open-ended, generative questions to help student maximize their educational experience and reach their goals
Opportunities to get involved include:
- Conferences and webinars
- Special interest groups (SIGs)
- Leadership roles and committee service
Explore more national organizations by visiting UAARE’s Professional Organizations and External Resources website.
Webinars, Certificates, and Online Courses
- Free or low-cost webinars on advising trends. The UAARE team hosts the NACADA webinar series each year at no cost to MSU advisors.
- Certificate programs in coaching, assessment, DEI, or leadership
- Platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or campus-sponsored licenses
Reading, Writing, and Presenting
- Reading advising or higher education research
- Writing blog posts, articles, or internal resources
- Presenting at conferences or campus events
These activities are especially valuable to highlight in R&P narratives as evidence of scholarly and professional engagement.
Connecting Upskilling to Annual Reviews and Academic Specialist Reappointment & Promotion
When documenting professional development:
- Clearly connect activities to advising competencies or job responsibilities
- Reflect on what you learned and how it improved your practice
- Highlight outcomes (new initiatives, improved processes, student impact)
- Align activities with unit, divisional, or institutional priorities
- Review MSU’s 2030 Strategic Plan and identify ways you are helping our institution reach those goals
Upskilling isn’t just about attending a workshop, it’s about intentional growth and being able to tell the story of that growth.
Final Thoughts
Professional development is an investment in yourself, your students, and your career. Whether you’re attending a campus workshop, presenting at a national conference, or learning a new advising tool, every experience contributes to your effectiveness as an advisor, and strengthens your skills for future opportunities.
Start small, stay curious, and keep track of your growth along the way.