The Georgia Tech Academic Advisors Network (GTAAN) recently concluded its highly successful Best Practices Conference, held on May 22, at the John Lewis Student Center at Georgia Tech. The conference brought together academic advisors from various colleges and universities to share their best practices and insights in fostering student growth through the lens of a growth mindset.
Themed "Focusing on a Growth Mindset," the 2023 GTAAN Best Practices Conference aimed to help advisors create efficient and effective academic advising systems that inspire students to develop a growth mindset. The conference emphasized the power of believing in students' potential for growth, encouraging resilience, and nurturing their ability to embrace challenges and persevere through setbacks.
The event featured a dynamic program of presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops designed to explore practical strategies and approaches that support the development of a growth mindset. Topics ranged from "Not Another Email: Short Form Videos as a Tool for Advising" to "Change Your Words, Change Your Mindset." The conference also had a special session where attendees broke out into 1 of 4 affinity groups they most closely aligned: Transfer Students, Advising for Education Abroad, First-Generation Students, and Self-Care & Wellness for Advisors.
Highlighting the conference was the keynote address by Dr. Sarah Kyte, a renowned sociologist of education and leading researcher in supporting student success. Dr. Kyte's responsive, action-driven, and rigorous portfolio of research and partnerships focuses on student persistence in college and within majors, effective strategies for bringing data-driven tools to practice, and equity for underserved groups. Her valuable insights into the practices and policies that enhance student success make her a prominent figure in the field.
Dr. Kyte's team was recently honored with the 2021 Institutional Research Leadership Award from the National Symposium for Student Retention for their exceptional paper. The award recognized the team's research on the role of data-driven and student-centered research in coalition-building to revise the academic eligibility policy at the University of Arizona. This achievement further demonstrates Dr. Kyte's dedication to data-driven decision-making and student-centered approaches.
Thank you to the several Office of Undergraduate Education staff who participated in the organization and execution of the conference. Beth Spencer (UAT), Nicole Leonard (UAT), De'Angelo Neely (UAT), and Russell Wallis (UAT) were instrumental in the planning and implementation of the event. Even more shared their expertise with presentations: Devoni Williams (UAT), Emmie Cass (UAT), Nicole Leonard (UAT), Charmaine Troy (First-Gen), De'Angelo Neely (UAT), Andrea Comsa (Career Center), and Iteeah Pounds (Career Center).
