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Cornell University

Undergraduate Education

For Staff Advisors

Cornell values the work and commitment of our staff professional academic advisors. Advisors create meaningful connections with our students, which are essential for student wellbeing and their ability to flourish academically. Advisors are the heartbeat of student academic support across campus. Their empathy, coupled with their expertise of student development theory and practice make them an invaluable asset to both students and faculty.

NACADA Core Competencies

NACADA is the global community and professional development organization for academic advising. NACADA has established three core competency areas that all Cornell advisors should understand in order to have the knowledge and skills to serve as effective advisors for our students - conceptual, informational, and relational.  

  • The Conceptual area focuses on topics such as advising theories, strategies, and outcomes, as well as approaches for creating equitable and inclusive environments for students.
  • The Informational area hones in on topics such as understanding institutional context (history, mission, culture), academic offerings and legal policies, student support resources, and available technology that is leveraged for advising.
  • The Relational area emphasizes demonstrable skills that advisors use to create meaningful connections to students, strategies for developing student agency, and advising assessment.

Learn more about NACADA's Academic Advising Core Competencies and engage in PAAC opportunities through out the year to grow your advising knowledge and hone your skills.