Professional Development for Mason Advisors

OAA Workshops

Stay tuned for workshops and other professional development opportunities from the Office of Academic Advising. In the meantime, check out the information below for MAAN, GMU, and NACADA.

Mason Academic Advisor Network (MAAN)

Mason Academic Advisor Network logo

The Mason Academic Advisor Network (MAAN) was formed to help promote advisor collaboration, advisor development, and disseminate information to all undergraduate academic advisors in a timely fashion. In principle the Network includes all academic advisors at Mason and is governed by a Steering Committee that represents all schools and colleges concerned with academic advising. MAAN is committed to implementing ideas and programs to strengthen undergraduate advising at Mason.

All new advisors are added to the MAAN listserv during Academic Advisor Onboarding. If for any reason you are not on the listserv, there is a form to join on the MAAN website.

MAAN offers several professional development opportunities and programs throughout the year including their Developing Advising Practice (DAP) Certificate Program, which is the second tier of training for academic advisors at Mason after completion of Academic Advisor Onboarding training.

Other Mason Opportunities for Professional Development

Mason offers many opportunities for training and professional development. Below is a list of opportunities to be on the look out for, but keep in mind, this list is not exhaustive, and there are always new opportunities offered every semester, many of which are advertised and promoted on the Mason Academic Advisor Network (MAAN) list serve. A brief description and link to more information is provided below.

Mason logo

  • Career Influencers Network Training – The Mason Career Influencers Network is a nationally recognized model for providing career development support to students through their relationships with professors, advisors, success coaches, supervisors, community directors, and many other roles at the university.
  • Center for Culture, Equity and Empowerment (CCEE) – Coalition Building and Diversity Education (CBDE) currently offers three trainings: Beyond Diversity; Creating Community; and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).
  • University Life Student Sucess Symposium – Learn the latest information and programming for all of the University Life units/departments. Offered in the spring every year.

NACADA: the Global Community for Academic Advising

NACADA Academic Advising Core Competencies: Conceptual, Informational, Relational. Understanding, Knowledge Skills. Supporting Continuous LearningThe National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) is an association of professional advisors, counselors, faculty, administrators, and students working to enhance the educational development of students. NACADA programs and events include annual conferences (international, national, and regional), drive-ins, symposiums, workshops, webinars, and more. There are many leadership opportunities and other ways to get involved. You can also find resources and articles on their website.

George Mason University is a part of NACADA Region 2, which consists of Virginia, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.

NACADA Clearinghouse websites bring together resources in specific academic advising areas. This website is dedicated to academic advisor professional development, where you will find relevant articles and other helpful resources.

More Professional Associations for Academic Advisors

In addition to NACADA, here are more professional associations that academic advisors may want to join:

NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education logo ACPA College Student Educators International logo NAFSA Association of International Educators logo. Connecting People, Changing the WorldNCDA National Career Development Association logo