Each year, NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising honors advisers, administrators and advising programs that are not only outstanding in quality but also have a significant impact on advising and student success programming.
NACADA is the premier association for student success through academic advising in higher education.
WVU is represented in two award categories this year — both first-time wins for the University and a higher education institution in West Virginia.
The Statler College Advising Center, under the direction of Michelle Poland, is the recipient of the Outstanding Advising Program Award. Together, Poland and her team are elevating everyday advising practices with innovative strategies and student-first decision making.
At the Center, approximately 2,700 undergraduate engineering and computer science students receive advising experiences tailored to their individual needs and are assessed regularly to determine their understanding of graduation timelines, degree planning and advising preparedness.
As a direct result of the team’s student-centered initiatives, fall-to-fall retention increased from 82.8% in Fall 2020 to 87% in Fall 2023, with fall-to-spring retention also rising from 93% to nearly 97% between Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
Four-year graduation rates at Statler College have also increased from 34.6% in Fall 2017 to 43.6% in Fall 2020. More increases are underway as the Center’s proactive advising model ensures students receive personalized attention early and often, fostering stronger connections to their academic programs and the broader University community.
Rebekah Dunaway, clinical instructor and advising coordinator in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences School of Social Work, is the recipient of the Outstanding New Faculty Adviser Award.
“The most rewarding part of my role is seeing students discover and pursue their passions, and it is truly an honor to support them as they grow, explore new opportunities and gain confidence in themselves. I also love that I can give back to the program that helped me shape my future in social work,” Dunaway said.
Through her holistic, student-centered approach to advising, she has created an inclusive, supportive environment where students cultivate their skills, uncover passions and achieve their academic, personal and professional goals.
She enjoys bringing creativity into her approach by incorporating play-based strategies that build rapport and reduce stress. As part of that strategy, Dunaway established the Student Success and Well-Being Program — a resource aimed at equipping social work students with access to mentoring and resources that support their success in the classroom and beyond.
“NACADA global awards are not just about advising excellence — they are about a person or a team that has clearly impacted students, faculty and the University through their advising practices,” Joy Carr, director of University Advising, said. “This is a significant milestone for both WVU advising and advising in West Virginia.”
An ongoing focus on student success across WVU has led to a record-setting Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 first-time freshmen retention rate of 93.8%. That follows a historic 83% freshman retention rate in 2024.
Carr said high-quality advising plays a vital role in those metrics.
“When it comes to supporting our students, every interaction counts,” Carr said. “Our academic advisers across the University are leading the way with high-impact practices that put our students, and their success, as the top priority.”
Awardees will be recognized during NACADA’s annual conference in Las Vegas in October.