October 18, 2016
SGA leaders participate in international advising conference
The 40th annual NACADA international conference was Oct. 5-8 in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to numerous K-State faculty and staff, Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education; Sue Maes, dean of Kansas State University Global Campus, and some 3,700 NACADA members from across the U.S. and across the world, this year's gathering also counted among its number Jessica Van Ranken, Student Governing Association president, and Trenton Kennedy, vice president.
Van Ranken and Kennedy attended as NACADA's special guests and in order to learn more about K-State's leadership in academic advising research and professional practice. They met one-on-one with keynote speaker Kathleen Shea Smith, associate provost for advising at the University of Oklahoma, and they attended many conference sessions.
If you are wondering whether student leaders normally attend the NACADA international conference, the answer is suggested by the fact that Kennedy, after being accidentally identified as a student during a conference session, was then asked to give an impromptu, not-brief presentation on the student perspective, which he was happy to do.
Many thanks to Charlie Nutt, NACADA executive director, Mercer, and to all the K-State faculty, staff and students, who, working together, are strengthening K-State's already outstanding academic advising community.