NACADA Journal Volume 44: Issue 1

This issue highlights the importance of the advising work that our readers are doing. It contains five articles on advising different student populations, and each reveals just how impactful academic advising can be. We close with a sixth article investigating advisor burnout and ways to better support academic advising professionals.

The issue opens with George Longbottom’s qualitative study involving interviews with 15 undergraduate international students. Through the lens of Validation Theory, Longbottom provided valuable recommendations on advising practices with this student population. In the next article, also guided by Validation Theory, Soua Xiong explored the advising experiences of 16 Hmong

Although research has extensively documented international students’ adjustment and acculturation challenges, the role of academic advising in assisting with such challenges has received scarce empirical attention. This phenomenological study explored how international students’ communications with their academic advisors influenced their educational adjustment and growth in a university setting. Semi structured interviews with 15 international students revealed three overarching themes: advisor-advisee interactions, quality of information, and advising limits vis-à-vis international student issues. Using validation theory, this study’s discussion and recommendations centered on advising practices that fostered or hindered international students’ perceptions of academic advising.

Using validation theory as the guiding framework, this qualitative study explored the advising experiences of 16 Hmong college students. Most participants described instances of advising that were academically and interpersonally validating. Several participants also described instances of invalidating advising experiences. This study highlights how validating and invalidating advising experiences impact their persistence in college and graduation from college. Implications for future research and advising practice are provided.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated inequities within higher education. This study examined how first-generation students, compared to their continuing-generation peers, navigated institutional resources such as programs and academic advising during the pandemic. To examine institutional resource barriers, usage, and helpfulness for students, the study analyzed survey data of 524 students at a four-year private university in the United States. Results showed that lack of time, awareness, and access to institutional resources were barriers for first-generation students in using institutional resources. Furthermore, qualitative findings reveal factors that first-generation students found helpful in their college career: transparency of institutional resources on campus, initiative from institutional figures in reaching out to students, and holistic support for academic, personal, and professional development.

From the Co-Editors

Formative Interactions: International Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Academic Advising

“Fuel To Complete My Degree”: Hmong College Students’ (In)Validating Advising Experiences

Supporting First-Generation Student Experiences in Programs and Advising: Lessons from a Pandemic

A Quantitative Study of Community College Student-Advisor Appointments and Student Success Metrics

Resilience in Post-Secondary Students: The Role of Academic Advisor Support

Looking Inward: Academic Advisors’ Mental Health

From the Co-Editors

The Professionalization of Academic Advising in China: From the Perspective of Culture Diversity

Understanding Athletics Academic Advisors’ Experience with Job Burnout

Rural College Students’ Academic, Financial, and Health-Related Obstacles During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Academic Advisors

Exploring Faculty and Academic Advisors’ Experiences Supporting College Students with Mental Health Challenges: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Problem Areas for the Student on Probation: The Role of the Academic Advisor

Librarian as Advisor: Information Search Process of Undecided Students and Novice Researchers

Practicing Developmental Advising: Theoretical Contexts and Functional Applications

A Success Course for Freshmen on Academic Probation: Persistence and Graduation Outcomes

Impact of Media on Major Choice: Survey of Communication Undergraduates