WSU News Archive

By Beverly Makhani, Honors College

PULLMAN, Wash.—Washington State University’s Associate Dean of the University College Susan Poch has been chosen to mentor emerging leaders in the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), the leading organization of academic advisors in the U.S.

 

Each year, NACADA selects 10 experienced leaders in the organization as mentors and pairs them with 10 participants in its two-year "Emerging Leaders Program,” which was created in 2007 by NACADA’s diversity committee.  The volunteer mentors provide support and guidance to the leaders in training, and help develop plans for continued involvement and growth in the association.  Poch’s mentor appointment will be from 2012-2014.

 

"This is really quite an honor” says Poch. "The opportunity to mentor new leaders in the advising profession and particularly for service as leaders in NACADA, is just one way to give back to the advising community that is so influential in higher education.”

 

Poch has been a member of NACADA for many years.  Throughout her career as a WSU administrator, she has worked to promote quality academic advising for all undergraduate students.  In her current position, she provides vision for many programs for first-year students and for implementation of the new general education curriculum as well as academic advising; the Center for Advising and Career Development, New Students Programs, and Student Success and Transitions benefit from her leadership.

 

Prior to her current role, she served as associate vice president for student achievement, the assistant vice president for educational development, the director of the former Student Advising and Learning Center, and the assistant director of admissions for transfer students.  She also coordinated the National Student Exchange program at WSU and the Transfer Center.

 

An affiliate faculty member in the College of Education’s Dept. of Educational Leadership and Counseling Psychology, Poch earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at WSU, and is a graduate of the Harvard Management Development Program at the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education.  She serves WSU as co-chair of the Common Reading program, a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, the Advising Consultant Group, the Retention Council, the Convocation Committee, and the Associate Dean’s Council.

 

Poch is also a member of the WSU Academic Advising Associate (ACADA), the local chapter of NACADA, as well as NACADA’s Region 8 organization.  Since it began in 2009, ACADA members have received numerous national and regional advising awards.

 

Three additional WSU ACADA members have recently been involved in the NACADA Emerging Leaders Program.  New WSU ACADA President Sarah Ann Hones served as a national mentor for the 2009-2012 cohort, which included two WSU advisors—Lisa Laughter and Anna Chow.  Hones is director of Distinguished Scholarship Advising and Laughter is an advisor in Pre-Health Advising and STEM Education, two programs in the University College.  Laughter serves as a member of the Emerging Leaders national advisory board.

 

Contacts:
Susan Poch, Associate Dean, University College at WSU, 509-335-6037, poch@wsu.edu
Beverly Makhani, Communications Director, University College at WSU, 509-335-6679, Makhani@wsu.edu

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