On November 20, the Division of Academic and Student Affairs and Enrollment Management co-sponsored an academic advising retreat, with the goal of bringing together Student Services professionals from across campus to create connections to better serve students.

"Collaborating across divisions starts with the understanding that relationship building is a necessary first step in the process," said Dr. Mitzi Lowe, interim Assistant Vice President for Academic Advising. "As collaborative relationships develop, all stakeholders can begin to bridge the gap and create purposeful strategies for enhancing campus-wide advising services that greatly impact student success."

Dr. Lowe sought the assistance of Ramsey Jay Jr., a Fresno State alum and widely recognized motivational speaker on leadership development, to facilitate a workshop, Empowering Dreamers to Become Achievers, also the title of his new book.

The retreat offered an opportunity for academic counselors and other student support services staff to reflect upon their purpose in enhancing academic services for Fresno State students.

The goal of the retreat was to build bridges between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs and to enhance communication between divisions that will enable Student Services professionals to better serve our students.

Dr. Lowe believes the future of student success depends on everyone. Continuing to build relationships across campus helps enhance communication between divisions and creates synergy between teams aligned with our university mission.

“After the retreat, the advising centers are going to feel more like a community than ever before," said Kathy Dunbar, academic counselor,
University Advising.

Plans are underway for a spring summit. In addition, working groups to address assessment, technology, and training and development are in progress. The outcome will lead to shared goals and action plans.