Author: Billie Streufert

Breaking Vocational Barriers and Creating Student-Ready Institutions

Many students encounter barriers in higher education due to systemic barriers rather than personal inadequacies. Faculty and staff are urged to redesign courses and support systems to foster student readiness. Collaborative efforts between institutions and communities are essential for enabling student success and creating transformative educational environments that honor all learners’ vocational journeys.

Every year, some students have their dreams derailed after they fail gateway courses or are unable to secure admission into selective undergraduate or graduate programs. We—as faculty, staff, and administrators—sometimes assume the barrier is students’ ability and ask if they are college-ready. Tia Brown McNair and her colleagues remind us to flip the question and ask if the systems we created are student-ready. What if collectively, we are the problem?

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Coping with Loss: Supporting Students when They Navigate Unforeseen Academic Changes

Joseph, a first-generation honors student, struggled in his first-year chemistry course, earning a C, which led to doubt about pursuing medicine. Many students face similar pressures regarding GPA and vocational goals. Institutions must proactively support students experiencing academic difficulties, emphasizing vocational exploration and mental well-being resources to alleviate distress and promote resilience.

overwhelmed young man against trigonometry calculations
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Joseph was a high-achieving first-generation student who graduated with honors from his high school. He aspired to pursue medicine but suddenly found himself struggling in his first-year chemistry course. At the end of the fall term, he earned a C. Learning had come naturally to him during high school, requiring little time outside of school. He now needed to learn to study independently but was unsure how to retain information. Writing lab reports was also new to him. Resolved to improve, he met with a tutor during the first half of the spring semester, but when he looked at his midterm grades, his stomach dropped. After all his work, he still had a C. Panic set in as he doubted his ability to pursue medicine. He also remembered he needed to register for fall courses the next week. Unsure how to proceed and apprehensive about his future, he decided it was time to meet with his advisor.

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Closing the Gap: Integrating Vocation into Second-Year Initiatives

Many colleges lack support programs for second-year students, leaving them feeling isolated and without direction. Institutions are encouraged to integrate vocational exploration into academic advising and provide tailored support. Initiatives such as high-impact practices, applied learning, cohort events, and mentoring opportunities can enhance social connections and address students’ needs for purpose and career direction during their critical second year.

brown cardboard box with sad face
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When sophomores return to most colleges after the summer, they often discover less support than they received as first-year students. Half of institutions do not offer second-year initiatives to meet students’ needs. Given the scarcity of time and dollars, some institutions are simply relieved that second-year students have returned and then shift their focus almost exclusively to the newly arrived first-year students.

The absence of second-year programs leaves many students in their second year feeling invisible and isolated. In response, many institutions have embedded second-year initiatives into academic advising, career exploration and planning, early alert systems, leadership programs, and back-to-school events. Sophomore retreats, mentoring, and residence life initiatives have also become popular.

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Happy Global Academic Advising Week: Let’s Celebrate and Integrate Vocation

Global Advising Week celebrates NACADA’s role in enhancing student success through academic advising. As advisors create inclusive environments for students to explore their educational and vocational goals, they can also address barriers to engagement. Intentional integration of vocation in advising empowers all students, fostering reflection and collaboration to enrich their academic journeys.

This week higher education celebrates Global Advising Week from April 27 – May 3, in recognition of the formation of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Formally chartered on May 2, 1979, NACADA exists to advance student success through academic advising in higher education. Since NACADA’s inception, academic advisors have created inclusive spaces for students to discuss their holistic goals and educational purposes.

Now a global professional community of practice, NACADA leaders ground advising in key competencies, shared values, standards of practice, and a teaching mindset that unites the field. Whether they serve as faculty advisors, full-time primary-role advisors, or champions of the cause, NetVUE members should celebrate advising this week—for all the ways that it provides unique opportunities to deepen students’ vocational learning.

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