Cross-Campus Collaboration Drives Advising Course Redesign

Advising plays a critical role in how students navigate their academic journey. At Seton Hall, a new cross-campus collaboration is reshaping how that support is delivered. Through a partnership between the Provost’s Office, the Division of Student Services and the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center (TLTC), the University has redesigned its Advising Course to better prepare faculty and professional advisors through a consistent, accessible training experience delivered in Canvas.

The updated course became available to all faculty and professional advisors on April 8 and supports a more connected and effective approach to advising across the University. Faculty and professional advisors received access to the course through Canvas, along with notifications from Seton Hall Advising when the training opened. Since launch, about 100 faculty advisors have already completed the course, with more continuing to engage with the training ahead of the May 18 deadline. As participation grows, the initiative is helping strengthen advising practices across the University and build a more unified approach to supporting students.

Ania Calka, Ph.D., director of advising and technology integration, worked alongside Nicole LaCapria, Ph.D., assistant director of assessment and special projects and colleagues from the Provost’s Office and the Division of Student Services to lead the development of the advising framework and guide communication, engagement and progress tracking across the initiative. 

"This initiative was a true example of the power of collaboration and I am grateful to have worked alongside Dr. Ania Calka, Dr. Omayra Arocho, Dr. Nicole Paternoster, Brandon Larmore and Matt Geibel to bring this training to life," said LaCapria. "From the beginning, our team was intentional about creating quick, accessible resources within Compass to better support advisors in their work. The goal was not only to streamline administrative tasks and save time, but also to give advisors more opportunities to engage directly and intentionally with students, helping ensure they have the classes, resources and support needed to succeed at Seton Hall."

 Building on that foundation, the TLTC translated the vision into a structured, digital learning experience. Led by instructional designer Shayle Adrian and supported by Christopher Petruzzi and the TLTC digital media team, the effort combined instructional design, multimedia and technology to create a flexible, scalable training model that reaches hundreds of advisors in a consistent way. 

"Advising matters because when students feel known, supported and believed in, they don’t just succeed here: they belong here said ," said Calka. "I’m incredibly grateful for the support and excitement from our community throughout this process. It reflects the strong advising practices already happening across campus, while giving us a shared foundation to continue building on and helping advisors make the most of tools like Compass for timely, meaningful outreach."

That impact is intentional. The initiative aligns with Seton Hall’s strategic plan, Inspiring Great Minds to Greater Purpose, and the strategic priority of delivering a transformational student experience by strengthening advising practices and using technology to better support students throughout their academic journey. By creating a consistent and accessible approach to advisor training, the course helps ensure students receive the guidance they need to navigate academic and career decisions with confidence. 

The work also reflects the University’s commitment to impactful programs and innovation. Through digital learning tools and multimedia content, the course introduces new ways to deliver training at scale while maintaining quality and engagement. Centralizing the experience in Canvas further supports a sustainable model that can evolve over time as advising practices and tools continue to develop.  

More broadly, the initiative demonstrates how TLTC partners across the University to support teaching, learning and student success. Through efforts like this, TLTC is helping to shape experiences that have a lasting impact on the campus community.

Categories: Science and Technology