As a graduate student, I heard it was important to participate in a professional association; however, I was unsure of why and how to do so. I wasn’t a NACADA member my first several years in advising. I thought it was sufficient to learn about NACADA resources from a supervisor with a membership. I didn’t realize I was missing out on the personalized experience of membership. Over the past few years, I have benefited from my NACADA membership and involvement. I’m sharing my experience for those who may be wondering why and how to make their membership meaningful.

NACADA membership has:

• Given me access to resources that improve my practice
• Offered me opportunities to contribute to the field of advising
• Connected me with other advising practitioners for community and collaboration

In 2020, a colleague and I submitted a proposal for the NACADA Annual Conference. It was exciting to be accepted but, when the conference pivoted to a virtual format, I questioned the benefits of attending. I purchased a membership, attended the virtual conference, and had a phenomenal experience. I immensely enjoyed attending sessions directly related to advising and benefited from connecting with the larger advising community.

During the conference, I attended a session on publishing with NACADA that inspired me to develop the presentation with my colleague into an Academic Advising Todayarticle. Writing about advising led me to follow NACADA publications, through which I discovered opportunities to review NACADA books and serve on the NACADA Publications Advisory Board. These experiences continue to be a rewarding complement to my work. 

I then learned to follow specific advising communities from a NACADA podcast. Doing this further improved my NACADA experience as I began to hear discussions that resonated with my work. Through joining advising communities, I became a steering committee member for the NACADA Well-being and Advisor Retention Community. Participating in communities connects me with advising professionals at other institutions who share my interests and concerns. For me, advising community involvement has especially been a source of support and inspiration. As a NACADA member, I receive information about events and volunteer roles, enabling me to engage with advising colleagues and participate in professional development even outside of conferences. I encourage others to explore avenues for NACADA involvement to find ways in which they can become actively and meaningfully engaged to make the most of their membership.  

Melissa Cumbia
Academic Advisor
Virginia Tech
mlchen@vt.edu