K-State names new executive director of global academic advising association

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising selected Kyle Ross as executive director starting Aug. 1 at Kansas State University.

K-State announced Ross will oversee the 14,000-member association hosted by the K-State College of Education.

Dean of the College of Education Debbie Mercer shared a comment about Ross’s accomplishment.

“Kyle is uniquely qualified for this position in terms of his background in academic advising, teaching and research; leadership acumen; and involvement with NACADA,” said Mercer. “We conducted a worldwide search and found the person who not only met the qualifications but who exceeded our expectations.”

Ross has been a NACADA member for 11 years. He was president of the NACADA board of directors in 2021-2022. Ross worked with leadership to develop a new vision, mission and strategic goals for the association in the future. He also served as a higher education consultant through NACADA’s consulting program.

Ross shared a comment about the new position.

“It is difficult to describe how honored I am by this opportunity to lead NACADA,” Ross said. “It will be exciting to work with talented colleagues in the executive office and at Kansas State University as well as the association’s exceptional members in this new capacity. NACADA is well positioned as the world leader for student success through academic advising, and I look forward to advancing the profession.”

K-State indicated Ross contributed to the scholarly body of academic advising work, and presented more than 50 sessions and publishing articles on the connection between academic advising and student success. His research includes how advisors guide students through planning for and exploration of multiple academic and career pathways to achieve their ultimate goals, incorporating solution-focused counseling techniques in advising conversations, and engaging teams in action research methods to improve understanding around student retention and attrition.

According to K-State, Ross earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Washington. He earned both of his graduate degrees from Washington State University - a master’s in counseling and a doctorate in education leadership. Ross currently serves as a head advisor in the College of Business at Oregon State University, where he supervises academic advisors that serve approximately 4,300 students.

Staff at K-State noted NACADA is a nonprofit association of higher education professionals that promotes student success by advancing the field of academic advising globally, with membership in 35 countries. The association provides opportunities for professional development and networking through its conferences, institutes, online learning, communities of practice, research, journals and publications, and consulting services.