Academy Information
Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7, 2025
- Thursday, March 6, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm ET
Advising Academy Day 1: Open to College Access Organizations and TBR Institutions.
- Friday, March 7, 8:00 am - 2:30 pm ET
Advising Academy Day 2: Open to TBR Institutions Only.
Location:
DoubleTree Hotel – Downtown Chattanooga
407 Chestnut Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
For programmatic questions related to the Advising Academy, please contact Troy Grant, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management.
For registration, travel, or logistical questions related to the Academy, please contact Lynn Drew, Administrative Assistant.
Schedule-at-a-Glance
Thursday, March 6
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:00 - 9:00 am | Registration Second Floor Lobby |
| 9:00 - 10:30 am | Opening Plenary Advising Now: Charting the Course in a Sea of Change Vision Ballroom |
| 10:30 - 10:45 am | Transition |
| 10:45 - 11:45 am | Concurrent Session 1 |
| 11:45 - 12:00 pm | Transition |
| 12:00 - 1:00 pm | Networking Lunch & Advisor of the Year Announcement Vision Ballroom |
| 1:00 - 1:15 pm | Transition |
| 1:15 - 2:15 pm | Concurrent Session 2 |
| 2:15 - 2:30 pm | Transition |
| 2:30 - 3:45 pm | Afternoon Workshop Plenary Roundtable Discussions Vision Ballroom |
| 3:45 - 4:00 pm | Day One Close-Out |
| 4:00 - 4:30 pm | Tennessee Academic Advising Network (TAAN) Membership Meeting (This session is for TBR campus advising staff only) Vision Ballroom |
| Dinner | Dinner on your own |
Friday, March 7
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:00 - 9:00 am | Networking Breakfast Vision Ballroom |
| 9:00 - 10:00 am | Concurrent Sessions 3 |
| 10:00 - 10:15 am | Transition |
| 10:15 - 11:15 am | Concurrent Sessions 4 |
| 11:15 - 11:30 am | Transition |
| 11:30 - 12:00 pm | Lunch Vision Ballroom |
| 12:00 - 1:15 pm | Afternoon Plenary Advising Next: Navigating the Future with Heart and Hustle Vision Ballroom |
| 1:15 - 1:30 pm | Transition |
| 1:30 - 2:30 pm | Concurrent Sessions 5 |
| 2:30 - 2:45 pm | Transition |
| 2:45 - 3:00 pm | Day 2 Closing Vision Ballroom |
Session Descriptions
Opening Plenary | Vision Ballroom
Advising Now: Charting the Course in a Sea of Change
Dr. Gabriel Bermea, Visiting Scholar, The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions
Description: Together, we'll dive into the current state of the academic advising field and profession. Every day, we balance increasing caseloads, navigate ever-evolving technologies, and work to meet the growing needs of our students—all while keeping our institutions moving forward. It’s not always smooth sailing, but our work is more vital than ever. In this session, we’ll celebrate our collective progress, tackle the challenges we face, and highlight the small yet powerful victories that make it all worthwhile. Delivered with humor and heart, this keynote will inspire you to reflect on your practices, connect with your passion for advising, and set a positive tone for the journey ahead.
Thursday Afternoon Workshop Plenary | Vision Ballroom
Roundtable Discussions
Troy Grant, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management, Tennessee Board of Regents
Description: Join us for a dynamic roundtable discussion designed to empower those who work with students to share common challenges and best practices. In this interactive session, each table is assigned a thought-provoking topic with guiding questions to spark insightful dialogue. Participants will have 30 minutes at one table to engage deeply on an issue of interest, then the opportunity to rotate to another table for an additional 30 minutes of discussion. This session offers a unique platform to voice experiences, collaborate with peers, and collectively enhance strategies for effective student engagement and advising.
Friday Afternoon Plenary | Vision Ballroom
Advising Next: Navigating the Future with Heart and Hustle
Dr. Gabriel Bermea, Visiting Scholar, The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions
Description: As we come together one last time, this closing keynote invites you to look ahead—to the future of academic advising and your place in shaping it. What will advising look like in 5, 10, or even 20 years? Will AI handle scheduling while we focus on the heart-to-heart conversations? Or will we finally get that robot assistant we’ve all dreamed of? Blending research, bold ideas, and a healthy dose of humor, this session will inspire you to imagine what’s next. From cutting-edge technologies to student well-being initiatives, we’ll explore the trends that will shape our field while reaffirming what has always mattered most: human connection. You’ll leave energized, ready to face the future with heart, hustle, and maybe a few new jokes to share with your students.
Concurrent Session 1 - Thursday, March 6, 10:45 - 11:45 am
Sessions 1
Breaking Down Barriers: How Completion Grants Support Tennessee Promise Student Success
Room: Inspiration
Presenters:
- Krissy DeAlejandro, President and CEO, tnAchieves
- Tayor Dill, Director of Data Operations, The Ayers Foundation Trust
- Dr. Burton Williams, CEO, The Ayers Foundation Trust
Description: This session will explore how the Ayers Foundation Trust and tnAchieves implement completion grants to support Tennessee Promise students. Presenters will discuss how these grants help students overcome financial barriers, stay enrolled, and complete their degrees. Topics will include program structure, student eligibility, funding criteria, and key outcomes. Attendees will gain insight into how these grants positively impact student persistence and success, along with information on how to ensure students take full advantage of these funds when needed.
Sessions 2
Transforming the Student Experience with Mindset-Supportive Practices
Room: Motivation
Presenters:
- Emma Huelskoetter, Mindset Coordinator, Tennessee Board of Regents
Description: Research shows that when students have healthy learning mindsets—when they believe in their own ability to succeed, believe what they are doing has value, and believe they are respected by peers, faculty, and staff—they are more motivated to learn and persist through difficulty. This workshop will focus on practical strategies to support students’ learning mindsets through advising. Advisors will leave with specific resources to support students' Growth Mindset, Purpose, and Sense of Belonging.
Sessions 3
The Evolving Landscape of Dual Enrollment Advising
Room: Insight
Presenters:
- Dr. Steven Berryhill, Director of Early Postsecondary Opportunities, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Nellie McCollum, EPSO LMS Administrator, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Michelle McMillan, Manager of Early Postsecondary Opportunities, Tennessee Department of Education
Description: This session explores the need for increased, revised, and enhanced dual enrollment and pathways advising for students. It will discuss how future dual enrollment advising can be structured, how students can leverage dual enrollment earned credit to accelerate progress and success along a pathway, and how dual enrollment support will be reshaped through system-wide efforts. Lastly, this session will discuss upcoming early postsecondary opportunity (EPSO) policy changes and will present ideas to address long-standing existing dual enrollment challenges.
Concurrent Session 2 - Thursday, March 6, 1:15 - 2:15 pm
Session 1
Maximizing Slate CRM: Streamlining Admissions and Onboarding Across the College
Room: Inspiration
Presenters:
- Robin Marek, CRM Specialist, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Panel of College Representatives
Description: Join us for an informative one-hour session that delves into the transformative capabilities of Slate CRM in enhancing admissions and onboarding processes at colleges. This session will outline the CRM implementation process within the state, and include a panel of college representatives showcasing key features designed to create efficiencies for admissions teams that cater to applicants, students, and community-based organizations.
Session 2
Reimagining the Community College Experience: The Future of Advising
Room: Motivation
Presenters:
- Dr. Amy Moreland, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Policy and Strategy, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Will Shull, Director of Advising, Jackson State Community College
- Glenn Johnson, Coordinator of Guided Pathways, Walters State Community College
- LaJoyce Harris, Reimagining Community College Project Manager, Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Suzanne Gibson, Director of Grants Development, Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Dr. Angel Hughes, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Pellissippi State Community College
Description: Four community colleges are implementing pilot projects to “Reimagine the Community College Experience.” Through these projects, colleges are creating new connections between advising, academic pathways, and career opportunities for students. In this panel discussion, leaders from the four pilot colleges will share early success stories from their work and discuss lessons learned for colleges that are building or strengthening the connection between advising and career pathways.
Session 3
Building Bright Futures: Aligning Secondary and Postsecondary Pathways for Student Success
Room: Insight
Presenters:
- Amanda McClusky, Senior Manager, Graduation Pathways and Postsecondary Readiness, Tennessee Department of Education
- Brittany Slagle, Manager, College and Career Advising, Tennessee Department of Education
Description: This session will explore the crucial role of advising in middle and high school, focusing on the High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP), which spans grade 8 through two years post-graduation. Participants will learn about secondary advising expectations and discuss strategies for enhancing collaboration between secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, and advising networks. The discussion will include improving partnerships and streamlining transitions to prepare students for future educational and career success.
Session 4
Reimagining PAA: Strengthening Partnerships for Student Success
Room: Epiphany
Presenters:
- Troy Grant, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management, Tennessee Board of Regents
Description: This interactive work session will reimagine the goals and requirements of the Postsecondary Aligned Advising (PAA) Endorsements. Participants from institutions, college access partners, and other organizations will provide feedback on how to strengthen best practices, enhance collaboration, and refine endorsement criteria. Join us to shape the future of PAA and ensure students receive the aligned, comprehensive advising needed for a seamless transition into and succeed in postsecondary education.
Concurrent Sessions 3 - Friday, March 7, 9:00 – 10:00 am
Session 1
Shaping the Future: Advancing Slate CRM for Advising, Student Success, and Completion
Room: Inspiration
Presenters:
- Robin Marek, CRM Specialist, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Panel of College Representatives
Description: As colleges continue to evolve in their approach to student support, the role of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems like Slate becomes increasingly critical. Join our distinguished panel of college representatives who are at the forefront of using Slate CRM to enhance academic advising, student engagement, and completion.
Session 2
Enhancing Student Retention Through AI-Driven Chatbots: A Case Study from ChattState
Room: Motivation
Presenters:
- Dr. Amanda Bennett, Vice President of Student Affairs, Chattanooga State Community College
Description: In this session, we will showcase how Chattanooga State Community College has partnered with EdSights to implement a proactive and reactive AI-driven chatbot to improve student retention efforts. This innovative collaboration utilizes cutting-edge artificial intelligence to engage students at crucial moments in their academic journey, offering personalized support and addressing concerns in real-time. Through both proactive outreach and reactive responses, the chatbot provides students with timely reminders, resources, and a platform to discuss academic, financial, and personal challenges. Additionally, the AI-powered chatbot enables staff to provide more targeted and intensive outreach by identifying students who exhibit signs of disengagement, allowing for personalized interventions based on the student retention framework to address specific needs and improve retention outcomes. Our presentation will highlight the chatbot’s impact on student engagement, retention rates, and overall satisfaction, offering valuable insights for other institutions considering similar AI initiatives.
Session 3
Bridging Academic Advising & Career Services: A Strategic Approach to Student Success
Room: Insight
Presenters:
- Brenda Williams, Career Services Manager, Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Jhona Gipson, Advising Career & Academic Community Manager, Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Brian Turnbow, Career Services Specialist, Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Evelyn Moore, Advising Career & Academic Community Manager, Southwest Tennessee Community College
Description: In today’s Higher Education landscape, the collaboration of Advising and Career Services is a new approach to fostering student success, retention, and post-graduation outcomes. Tasked with joining forces in 2023, Southwest’s Advising and Career Services teams have been engaged in career conversations ever since. Join us as we discuss our successes and challenges in the space of holistic Academic and Career Advising. Attendees will leave with strategies to begin conversations that support student success.
Concurrent Sessions 4 - Friday, March 7, 10:15 – 11:15 am
Session 1
Supporting Adult Learners in the Advising Process
Room: Inspiration
Presenters:
- Terry Bubb, Director of Advising, Volunteer State Community College
Description: While adult learners can be identified as either “23 or older” or “25 or older” depending on the researcher’s definition, it is clearly a group that colleges need to support well from an advising perspective. Institutions often place a near-exclusive emphasis on traditional-aged students and give less attention to the support of adult learners despite their growing population. Indeed, fall 2024 data from the National Student Clearinghouse found that students aged 25-29 showed the largest increase (20%) while 18 and 19-year-old enrollment declined 5.8% and 8.6% respectively. This session will focus on some specific ways colleges can support adult learners. Special attention will be given to initiatives that suggest a positive impact on persistence and retention. Best practices will be presented both from a local and national perspective.
Session 2
Streamlined Advising: Harnessing AI for Efficiency & Innovation
Room: Motivation
Presenters:
- Dr. Jamie Nelson, Competency-Based Education Developer/AI Learning Collaborative, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Sarah Hazelton, Competency-Based Education Developer/AI Learning Collaborative, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Dr. Erin Hugus, Competency-Based Education Developer/AI Learning Collaborative, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Pari Bhatt, Digital Learning Collaborative/AI Learning Collaborative, Tennessee Board of Regents
Description: Join the Tennessee Board of Regents AI Learning Collaborative for an energizing session that will spark your journey into AI-enhanced efficiency approaches to support college advising. Discover practical strategies to streamline workflows and build a tech-powered future. This session lays the foundation for integrating AI into your practice, offering actionable insights to jumpstart efficiency and innovation in student success.
Session 3
Tennessee Coaching Project: Framework Overview and Keys to Implementation
Room: Insight
Presenters:
- Dr. Amy Moreland, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Policy & Strategy, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Erin Delle, Coordinator of Strategic Research Initiatives, Tennessee Board of Regents
- Merry Remaley, Academic Advisor/Success Coach, Northeast State Community College
- Oliver Koons, First Steps Advisor, Jackson State Community College
- Eric Morris, First Steps Advisor, Jackson State Community College
Description: The Tennessee Coaching Project is exploring new models of success coaching. One of these models, First Steps Coaching, is improving course success and persistence rates among academically underprepared students in corequisite learning support. In this panel discussion, First Steps Coaches will share their first-hand experiences with coaching and describe the keys to this model’s implementation. The project team will also share an overview of an online toolkit designed to help colleges explore the coaching curriculum.
Concurrent Sessions 5 - Friday, March 7, 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Session 1
Advising through Tennessee Transfer Pathways
Room: Inspiration
Presenters:
- Dr. Tracy Comer, Senior Director of Articulation & Transfer, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Description: This session will provide an overview of the Tennessee Transfer Pathways program. The speaker will also share some tips and tricks to understanding the curriculum to better serve transfer students.
Session 2
Effective Academic Advising for Student Success in Higher Education
Room: Motivation
Presenters:
- Dr. Jim K. Rost, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership; Coordinator: Assessment, Learning, and Student Success: Higher Education Ed.D. Program Middle Tennessee State University
Description: This session will be in a lecture and seminar format discussing a brief historical overview on how academic advising and student success has evolved in higher education the past hundred years. Special attention will then be paid to discussing current best practices in academic advising to promote student success in higher education. Attendees will also be encouraged to participate in the Q & A period and share their experiences from their campuses.
Session 3
Using Holistic Advising and Career Goals to Drive Persistence & Satisfaction
Room: Insight
Presenters:
- Dr. Kat Baker, Executive Director of Student Services, Roane State Community College
Description: This session focuses on using career exploration and individual student goals to create academic plans with students. By using holistic career advising, Roane State Success Coaches have been able to help students identify career paths, connect with potential employers, and promote a goal-oriented mindset. As a result, students are more excited about their academic goals and show an increase in overall satisfaction and confidence.
Session 4
Director of Advising Discussion
Room: Epiphany
Presenters:
- Troy Grant, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management, Tennessee Board of Regents
Description: This session should be attended by the individuals on campuses who lead advising initiatives and strategies. The session will bring together staff from TBR's Office of Strategic Enrollment Management with campus-level advising leaders to explore strategies for enhanced collaboration and support. Participants will discuss how the Office of Strategic Enrollment Management and the TBR System Office can better engage with campus advising initiatives, identify effective practices, and create effective structures to support advising efforts.
Featured Plenary Speaker
Dr. Gabriel Bermea, Visiting Scholar, The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions
Dr. Gabriel Bermea is an educator, researcher, and advocate in the field of student success and academic advising, renowned for his work on humanistic advising practices that foster student success, particularly within Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). With over 13 years of experience as an academic entrepreneur, Dr. Bermea has led transformative initiatives that expand access, promote opportunity, and drive completion in higher education at both institutional and national levels.
As a visiting scholar at the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions, Dr. Bermea’s research emphasizes the importance of relevant, student-centered advising structures that reflect the unique needs of diverse student populations. His innovative Humanistic Advising model, rooted in principles of growth, resilience, and self-actualization, provides a holistic approach to advising that goes beyond academics to support the personal and cultural dimensions of student development.
Dr. Bermea’s scholarly contributions include publications such as “Advising with Intention: Exploring Academic Advising at Minority Serving Institutions” and “Construir el Camino: How HSIs Design and Deliver Academic Advising”. These foundational works highlight best practices and transformative models for creating intentional advising programs that resonate with students from various backgrounds. His writing extends to emerging areas, such as the integration of artificial intelligence in academic advising, exploring how AI can enhance proactive and personalized support for students while maintaining humanistic values in advising practices.
Dr. Bermea earned his Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Higher Education Administration from Benedictine University. He also holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University. He earned a Master’s degree in Higher Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Texas Texas University.
Dr. Bermea resides in Texas with Kei, his wife of 10 years, and son, Jensen. Outside of his professional work, Dr. Bermea has a passion for music, reading, food, and travel.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous sponsor, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). THEC's invaluable support has made this conference possible.
Travel
Hotel
TBR Institutions: For those traveling from outside of the Chattanooga area, the TBR System Office will provide hotel accommodations for 5-person teams from each community college and one individual from each TCAT. Participants who indicate in their registration that a hotel is needed will be added to the hotel rooming list upon the close of registration. Hotel confirmations will be provided in late February prior to the conference. Institutions may pay for the hotel accommodations for additional attendees using a hotel booking link, which will be emailed to registered participants later in January. TBR has negotiated a nightly rate of $119 plus tax.
College Access Partners: If needing overnight accommodations, hotel information and booking instructions will be emailed to you later in January following your registration. TBR has negotiated a nightly rate of $119 plus tax.
Meals
Meals will be provided on both days of the Advising Academy. Participants will be on their own for dinner.
**Institutions are responsible for all costs related to team travel for the academy outside of meals provided and hotel accommodations.
Past Conference Resources
- Supporting Generation P Insight Paper
- Attack of the “Math Shark”: Why Unfinished Learning Is a Lurking Threat to Student Success in the Late 2020s
- Student Mental Health & College Readiness Report (Appily is part of EAB)
OUALC Coaching to Complete Model- Wheel of Life Undergraduate- Final
- ALC ION Model
- The Power of Supportive Relationships
Welcome to TAAN- Veteran Services 2024
- TN Transfer Pathways
- Put Down the Phones, It's People That Matter
- TN Coaching Project
- Relational Advising Rountable
- Promoting a Culture of Appreciation- Making Others Feel Valued
- Inservice- Plenary Power of Supportive Relationships
- Inservice- TBR Collaboration
- Inservice- Minds of All Kinds- Cultivating Supportive Inclusive Environments for Autistic Students
- Inservice- Conduct Officers Meeting
Inservice- Student Engagement and You - First-Gen Presentation
- 2024 Advising Academy Plenary Slides
- Coaching to Complete: A Practical Model for Holistic Advising
- Coaching to Complete: Tools and Techniques for Holistic Student Support
Keynote Sessions
Dr. Julie Holliday Wayne: Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World: Evidence-based strategies to be more satisfied and successful in key areas of life
Dr. Alison Dubois and Dr. Molly A. Mistretta: The Importance of Self-Care: Addressing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue in Higher Education
Presentation SlidesAcademic Advisor Burnout: Why Is It Necessary to Identify and Address It!
Breakout Sessions
A Nudge to Reconnect: New Perspectives on Outreach to Adult Students (Moreland & Gluek)
RECOVER, This Semester Matters: Interventions to Support Students on Academic Probation (Johnson & Strattion)
High Touch: How Student Communication and Connection Positively Influence Retention (Coleman & Stevenson)
Career Competencies and the Advising Experience
TAAN Membership Meeting
Advising Academy Virtual Backgrounds
Keynote Sessions
- Dr. Sarah Ketchen Lipson (March 11)
- Dr. Cynthia Pascal (March 12)
- Dr. Chrissy Davis Jones (March 12)
- Advising Intro Video
Concurrent Sessions
March 11, 2021
- Mental Health Gatekeepers: How to Identify and Support Students in Distress (Dr. Sarah Ketchen Lipson)
- Inclusive Excellence Peer Mentoring (SERS Grant) - Leveling Up: A Model for Professional Engagement (Dr. Jane Honeycutt)
- College Students in Crisis (Dr. Sandra Perley)
- First-Year Student Degree Plans in the First-Weeks (Dr. Jessica Rabb and Ms. Marla Perry)
- Serving Our Veterans: Mental Health Considerations for Veteran Students (Dr. Neil Duchac)
March 12, 2021
- Advising Innovation Panel Discussion (Roane State, Southwest TN, Walters State)
- Leveling Up: A Model for Professional Engagement (Dr. Michele Wollert and Dr. Victoria Bryan)
- Recording
- Presentation Slides
- Student Care and Advocacy Pathways Project (SERS Grant) (Ms. Drema Bowers, Pellissippi State)