Academic Advising: A Conversation with Nidia Villatoro

Tell us a bit about what an academic advisor does on a day-to-day basis.

Advisors work with students and are assigned to a specific pod or school. I am assigned to two different pods, working with Liberal Arts Transfer students and School of Business and Applied Arts students.

We regularly meet with students one-on-one, either in person, virtually, or over the phone. These appointments are mainly for continuing and returning students; however, we also meet with new and prospective students. We help students through their academic journey and work with them to develop their education plan from the beginning and through to graduation or until they transfer to a different institution. Each student is unique and brings their scenario, background, lifestyle, level of education, financial needs, challenges, and educational goals. Advisors must have empathy with each student’s situation and meet them wherever they are, academically speaking.

We manage a lot of information and need to understand how one decision with a specific student can impact things down the road in a different way than with another student. We must see the big picture as well as their circumstances to provide advice that creates the best possible outcomes. To help students, we must know how to access and understand all the systems and processes and have good relationships with faculty, and staff in areas we work closely with.

When we are advising new students, we ask a lot of questions. Many students are not 100% sure what they want to do, they don’t know which program they would like to start, they do not know the difference between the different schools and degree options. We encourage students to do career exploration as early as possible to narrow down what they want to do and identify the steps needed to get there. It is a continuous process, where we try to provide the resources needed while also encouraging them to be more self-sufficient.

While many meetings go smoothly, other appointments can be more challenging because students are not doing well in their classes, so we need to dive in and find out why. Then we can provide information about the college services that can assist them in overcoming some of their challenges. Advisors need to explain to the students how their academic performance can affect their financial aid, their transfer plans, and their graduation timeline. For those students who want/need to drop a class, advisors will explain the consequences. The timing of dropping a class can have an impact on their progression in a program and/or their financial aid. We also have to help manage the student’s emotions when they learn all the implications of withdrawing from a class.

International students can also be interesting. We need to understand their main career goals, their proficiency in English, and provide the advice and information that gets them closer to their goals. Occasionally, Madison College may not be the best fit for those students. Some have already earned a bachelor’s degree in their country of origin, so sometimes I have encouraged students to pursue a master’s degree instead of an associate degree.

I also work with students in our transfer program which can be demanding in a different way. Our students don’t just transfer to UW but to many other institutions across the country or even abroad. We need to make sure students are prepared to meet the admissions requirements, the minimum curriculum requirements, and major requirements, that will make them competitive students wherever they transfer. 

Roughly how many students do you work directly with?

I am assigned to approximately 600 students. I do not see all of them each semester, but each one of them can contact me by phone, email or to schedule an appointment. They keep me busy, and every day is different.

Tell me about what it's like in that very busy lead-up to the beginning of a term.

It can be overwhelming if you let it be. We’re working with a lot of students, many of whom waited until the last minute to register for classes, though many of them could have registered months earlier.

Often, the classes these students want to enroll in are full by that time, so the only option is the waitlist. It’s ironic, because these students who procrastinated, now have to do more work; they need to contact the instructor to request permission to enroll in their classes because the deadline has already passed, and they get frustrated with the uncertainly of not knowing whether or not they’ll get permission.

During the term start we meet with students to provide course recommendations, but many of those courses do not have open seats, so it is challenging for everyone. Some students need full-time enrollment to receive all their financial aid benefits or to keep health insurance. Students who need financial aid and haven’t submitted their FAFSA application on time may not have had the application processed yet. So, we need to let students know that if they register for classes, we cannot guarantee that they will have financial aid by the time tuition payment is due.

We try our best to get students enrolled and ready for the semester and we wouldn’t be able to make it without a great cross-functional team, helping us with triage, testing, and making sure students are completing the steps needed to get them ready to register. I appreciate their support during our busiest time.

How do you encourage students to try to get in front of it all?

I ask students who waited until the last minute to enroll in classes, “What priority do your studies have in your life?” And I try to get them to reflect on whether their actions and behaviors are consistent with their goals.

I even let them know that it's okay if school is not their main priority. If so, then they should take a break or reduce the number of credits so that whatever they do, they do it well, with the quality that something important deserves. I encourage them to meet with me the following semester during the first or second week of class registration for continuing students so they have a better chance of getting the classes they want or need.

I advise them to try to complete and submit their projects and assignments in advance so in case something unexpected happens, they have time to resolve other matters without falling behind on their school obligations.

Can you tell me a little bit about your background and how you got to where you are?

I was born and raised in Mexico City. I earned a bachelor’s degree in communication science from the Universidad del Valle de México, and an MBA from ESC Rennes, School of Business in France. I met and married an American and we came to live in Madison in 2005. My first job in Madison was in marketing and customer service at a small business. I wanted and needed to improve my English to get a better job, so I came here to Madison College to take ESL classes.

In 2007, an advisor, Lisa Wandke Anderson, visited the ESL classroom to explain the opportunities that the college offered for students who wanted to pursue additional education. I explained to her that I was looking for another job and I needed some help. She reviewed my résumé, made some suggestions, and told me that I might be a perfect candidate for a position that had been recently posted at MATC.

I applied and was hired as a part-time program planner for the bilingual certificates, with María Bañuelos and Tina Ahedo. My main role was to recruit and advise students with intermediate English skills who needed to advance in their education while improving their English. These bilingual certificates were the gateway to get students ready to start an associate degree.

In 2010 I applied for a full-time advising position at the Center for Adult Learning. In the years since, I have worked with the College’s School of Online and Accelerated Learning (SOAL), and I’ve advised prospects, newly admitted, and continuing students.

I remember that during Lisa’s presentation to my ESL class, I thought, “I would like to do something like what she is doing.” That was 16 years ago. Lisa made a difference in my life, and I hope I am also making a positive impact in the lives of the students I advise.

What general advice do you have for incoming college students?

Students should try to take some AP courses (and the tests) or dual credit courses in high school. This is a way to get ahead and save time and money. Do career exploration as early as possible, so by the time they apply to a college, they have some understanding of what direction they want to take. I’d also encourage them to take the ACT seriously, then apply early and make sure they are monitoring their emails for further communication from Madison College and the next steps.

English and math are fundamental skills, so students need to work hard in particular in these two areas to be able to start right away with college-level courses. Once they are Madison College students, they need to meet with their advisor at least once a semester to understand their degree progress and learn about support resources.

What are your favorite parts of the job?

It’s very rewarding to see the impact I can have in the lives of my students. I often don’t realize it until I get an email from a student saying, “You believed in me at the beginning - more than I even believed in myself. Thank you so much.” That makes me emotional even now. Some students tell me that they thought they couldn't have made it without my help, although I know they would have. It is very satisfying to know that your encouragement helped in some way.

It’s very nice to receive those messages where they identify me as someone important in their life. It’s gratifying to know that I helped them feel confident about themselves guided them through the process and advocated for them.

Advocacy is especially important for those students who might have a special circumstance and have fallen through the cracks. When I have advocated for them it’s very fulfilling when I see that they were able to accomplish their academic goals.

I believe each student has a talent - at least one if not more. If my guidance can help a student find what their talent is and turn it into something they enjoy doing, then I feel I am living with purpose.

OK last question. Tell me something that people might find surprising about you.

I like to be active doing exciting activities. For example, I've jumped out of a plane twice. I like snowmobiling and learned how to downhill ski in my 40s. I love horseback riding, especially cantering and galloping and I still enjoy amusement park rides, especially the spinning rides.