Academic Advisors, who play an active role in serving students at member and prospective member institutions in the Interstate PassportNetwork, convened September 18-19 in Boulder, CO. The purpose of this workshop was for attendees to learn about the current status of Interstate Passport and how the program assists students through the transfer process. By training 26 academic advisors to train other advisors on their campuses, staff hope to ensure that students across the Network are hearing a consistent message regarding the benefits that Interstate Passport provides. Doug Shapiro, executive research director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, started off the workshop by presenting, The Transfer Landscape in the US. His session included the latest transfer data and trends on student mobility across the nation which provided the broader context for discussions about more specific topics. These included the benefits of Interstate Passport; the role of the academic advisor and Interstate Passport; emerging and promising best practices; and the latest strategies for training academic advisors.
DeAnn Johnson, advisor for Completion and Transferability at North Idaho College, commented on her experiences at the workshop that “Higher Education professionals face an increasing challenge to close the college completion gap. At times, it can seem overwhelming from a single person/institution perspective. Interstate Passport offers an opportunity for a growing number of participating US Colleges and Universities, to work together to meet Complete College America’s goals. I appreciate the opportunity that attending this workshop provided. I was able to meet and engage with professionals who are working to make difference in students’ lives!”