Ellen Bonaguro First President Of Academic Advising Group

August 18, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Dr. Ellen Bonaguro, director of Western Kentucky University’s Academic Advising and Retention Center, has been installed as the first president of the Kentucky Academic Advising Association (KACADA).

Academic advisors from Kentucky’s public and independent colleges and universities have formed the association, which aims to improve student success and boost student transfer.

“Advisors assist students in academic planning and play an integral role in their success,” Dr. Bonaguro said. “KACADA will be incredibly valuable in supporting advisors as they work to facilitate the success of Kentucky’s college students.”

KACADA installed its first executive committee this summer. Officers represent five institutions -- WKU, Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky State University, University of Kentucky and Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

The organization, which is a state chapter of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), plans to hold an annual conference to provide professional development opportunities for academic advisors at both two- and four-year institutions.

WKU staff members Pat Jordan in the Gordon Ford College of Business, Michelle Kahler in the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and Kevin Thomas in the Academic Advising and Retention Center also helped create the state organization. Thomas serves on the KACADA executive committee as the NACADA Region 3 Liaison.

Kentucky’s postsecondary education system is striving to increase student enrollment, retention and graduation in an effort to meet target goals set by the Council on Postsecondary Education’s plan to “Double the Numbers” of bachelor’s degree holders in Kentucky by 2020.

More information about KACADA is available online at http://www.kacada.org/ and http://migration.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/cpe/nr_20080813.htm

More information about WKU’s Academic Advising and Retention Center is available online at http://www.wku.edu/advising/.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Ellen Bonaguro at (270) 745-5065.