Kansas State University

Kansas State University is taking a major step forward in student success by continuing to enhance academic advising. As part of our commitment to delivering proactive, consistent and data-informed advising, we are moving to a professional advising model across multiple colleges — ensuring every student gets the specialized support they need to thrive. 

While the Colleges of Architecture, Planning & Design, Business Administration, Education and Health and Human Sciences already utilize a professional advising model, K-State is now expanding this approach to more colleges to provide a consistent and streamlined student experience across the university. 

The College of Arts and Sciences began to move toward this model in 2024 and the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering the College of Agriculture will begin in fall 2025. This transition aligns with K-State’s Next-Gen strategic plan and recommendations from the National Institute for Student Success, or NISS, report, which highlighted opportunities to improve retention and degree completion through coordinated advising. 

A Coordinated Approach to Student Support 

K-State has been laying the groundwork for this transformation by 

What people are saying 

“Last spring, the College of Arts and Sciences assigned all incoming Fall 2024 students to professional advisors. The move to a centralized model of professional advising for all of our students is part of the college's broader commitment to creating the enabling conditions for students' success,” said Christie Launius, associate dean of student success. 

“These academic advisors will advance the college’s commitment to student success by providing specialized academic planning and advising to our students,” said Keith Hohn, associate dean for academic and administrative affairs. “We look forward to welcoming a number of new advisors to our team this spring.” 

“The College of Agriculture is committed to student success in and out of the classroom,” said Jennifer Minick Bormann, assistant dean of academic programs. “We look forward to welcoming professional advisors to enhance student services across the college as well as developing a robust faculty-student mentoring program to further support students in their academic and professional goals.” 

Next Steps 

This spring and summer, K-State will begin hiring multiple academic advisors to support students as we transition to this new model. This is an exciting opportunity for individuals passionate about student success to join a growing advising community with intentional, coordinated campus support. 

While professional advising will provide a structured and consistent student experience, K-State is equally committed to fostering strong faculty-student relationships outside the classroom through existing avenues and the university’s applied learning initiatives. In addition, the academic advising leadership at K-State will be working to develop common structures and processes for faculty mentoring initiatives that will enhance career and academic guidance for students.  

Administrators and advising leaders will continue working together to ensure a seamless transition as we implement these transformative changes. K-State is committed to empowering students, strengthening support systems, and building a future-ready advising model.