By adding student perceptions of the curriculum, we enhance the current history of American higher education over 5 decades. We draw from memoirs, short stories, notebooks, and legends to animate the story of students and the curriculum. The episodes depict historical events and cases that have shaped colleges, curricula, and students. The study is grounded in modern concepts and theories from psychology, sociology, and economics.

The development of academic advising parallels the history of higher education and reflects decades of student personnel work. Changes in funding, curricula, students, and faculty roles have all affected the means by which students have been advised. The evolution of advising eventually led to the formation of NACADA in 1979. Since 2001, when I last documented the history of academic advising in the Mentor, I have expanded the benchmark information and references. I also added key advising events in the new millennium.

In this article, we trace the history of NACADA from many perspectives. The NACADA mission, organization, programming, and services throughout the past 30 years provide a story of innovation and change. The effect of technology on NACADA's growth, especially in the last decade, has created enumerable opportunities for more comprehensive programming, services, sharing of expertise and resources, and support to members. NACADA has had a phenomenal impact on the perceptions of advising, the redefined the role of advisors, and the means by which students have benefited directly and indirectly from the professionalism it has engendered.

In this article, we present the results of interviews with past presidents of NACADA (the National ACademic ADvising Association), who responded to nine questions about the strengths, achievements, challenges, and obstacles faced during their presidencies. The presidents also had an opportunity to discuss a critical incident, people who were helpful, and the possible future for advisors and the association. The academic advising association grew out of a need felt by administrators and advisors throughout the country. These interviews suggest that NACADA has flourished because it was the right idea at the right time and headed by selfless leaders who championed its cause.

Recently veteran academic advisors were asked to share their experiences. The respondents to an E-mailed survey self-identified as advisors or administrators and represented six American regions and various sizes of public and private 2- and 4-year institutions. Their responses reflect a geniune interest in the welfare of students today and a thoughtful reflection on the changes in advising and advisees in the last 3 decades.

In this article, I examine the degree to which academic advising has met the scholarship and research standards necessary to lay claim to designation as a discipline or as a profession. I include a review of 3 decades of observations on advising scholarship and research, a review of NACADA's efforts to advance research, and an analysis of trends in scholarly productivity in academic advising. In addition, I address the current state of inquiry (scholarship and research). Finally, I include suggested actions necessary to expand the quantity and enhance the quality of advising as a field of inquiry.