From left to right: Career advisor Britton Inglehart, student success advisor Savonne Proctor, student success advisor Gabriela Bermudez, student success advisor Malea Perkins, career advisor Shelby Bergen, career services associate director Jenn Fazio, student success advisor Taylor Larsen and student experience director Sarah Mack.
Engineering and Computer Science Student Advising Model Wins National Recognition
The student success and career advising team in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) has been selected to receive a 2026 Outstanding Advising Program Award from the Global Community for Academic Advising (NACADA).
The advising team was recognized specifically for its “Holistic, Team-Based Advising Model for Undergraduate Retention and Success.” The model pairs every undergraduate student in the college with three advisors: a student success advisor, a career advisor and a faculty advisor.
The model is designed to give students dedicated support across every aspect of the college experience and prepare them for strong career outcomes.
Since its launch, the model has driven measurable gains in student retention and academic recovery. First-year retention climbed from 87.1% before the model to 95.3% for the first fully served cohort and has remained well above pre-model levels ever since (+90%), significantly outpacing the national average for comparable institutions, which is 82%.
“This national recognition is a direct reflection of the excellent work ECS does in support of our students,” says Michelle Blum, associate dean for student affairs. “This recognizes the impactful advising model the faculty and staff of ECS have built and sustained together, and the countless hours the success, career and faculty advisors spend supporting our students, and the genuine care everyone brings to this work.”
“Congratulations to our advising team on this well-deserved recognition,” says Julie Hasenwinkel, interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “This award reflects the dedication our success, career and faculty advisors bring to our students every day, and I’m proud of the culture of support they’ve built across the college.”
NACADA is an international professional association focused on student success and quality academic advising in higher education. Its Outstanding Advising Program award is presented annually to institutions that demonstrate excellence in areas including innovation, creativity, institutional commitment and measurable impact on student outcomes.
The award will be presented Monday, Oct. 5, at NACADA’s Awards Ceremony during the organization’s Annual Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
