Building Bridges: Advisors as Connectors for Student Success
Keynote speaker Dr. Kyle Reyes, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Utah Valley University and author of Lenses of Humanity, encouraged attendees to examine their personal lenses through which they view others and highlighted how greater self-awareness can foster deeper human understanding.
A High Energy Event!
More than 200 academic advisors and campus partners gathered at the Health Sciences Innovation Building on May 19–20 for the 2026 Academic Advising Conference. Centered on the theme Building Bridges: Advisors as Connectors for Student Success, the event offered a dynamic mix of professional development, networking, and collaboration designed to strengthen advising practices across campus in support of Student Success in the Strategic Imperatives.
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Sr. Vice Provost Jenna Rickus, followed by an inspiring keynote address from Dr. Kyle Reyes, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Utah Valley University and author of Lenses of Humanity. Dr. Reyes encouraged attendees to examine their personal lenses through which they view others and highlighted how greater self-awareness can foster deeper human understanding. His message, presented through the Lenses of Humanity Framework, emphasized the power of intentional, student-centered advising to build meaningful connections across differences and enhance support for students, colleagues, and faculty.
Throughout the conference, participants explored important updates and emerging resources, including changes to general education policies, enhancements to the Advisement Report grid, and the Career Champions Program for advisors. Attendees also had the opportunity to choose from a wide range of concurrent sessions led by members of the UA community. Topics included technology tools, self-care strategies, advising approaches, support for specific student populations, campus resources, and other timely issues affecting student success.
Thank you to the Office of the Provost and the Advisor Resource Center (ARC) for sponsoring this event and the Conference Planning Committee for developing this special opportunity. The conference planning committee was co-chaired by Nicole Gonzalez and Laura Novotny. The committee members were Nicole Chain, Juliana Lincoln, Ashleigh Gagliano, Christopher Dziadosz, Monique Pena, Diana Silva-Nidez, Matt Emory, Shawna Matteson, Siena Coronado, Joseph Embacher, Riley Mentel, Emily Burruel Bonney, Serena Sidra Valle, Jessica Chung, Brian Cormac Peel, Uphaar Dooling, Daniel Jimenez Flores, and Jasmine Acosta. This team provided an event that advisors will talk about for months and sets the bar very high for the 2027 conference!
From insightful presentations to engaging conversations, the conference created a vibrant space for learning, connection, and community. Participants left with new ideas, practical tools, and renewed energy to support students and advance excellence in academic advising for the U of A.