General Featured

Reynolds Advising Refuel Initiative to Transform Student Success Framework

  • 05 February 2025
Reynolds Community College is advancing student success through its Advising Refuel initiative. We care about our students and our goal is to see them flourish. This effort aims to revamp advising practices with clear, structured, and supportive academic guidance. By integrating internal feedback and national best practices, the college seeks to create an advising framework that meets students' evolving needs.

“Our Advising Refuel initiative here is really focused on enhancing our student experience and making sure that our faculty and staff have all the tools and resources they need to do their job best.” 
— Katelyn Eden

Laying the Groundwork

The Advising Refuel team began with a comprehensive review of existing advising practices. Revisiting key documents like the 2021 "Building a Culture of Care" report, the team identified challenges and areas for improvement. They also examined advisor roles, assignment processes, and communication strategies to streamline and improve the advising experience.

Externally, the team benchmarked against institutions such as Alamo Colleges and Achieving the Dream (ATD) partners to adapt proven practices to Reynolds' needs. A cornerstone of the initiative includes creating an advising syllabus and visual process graphics to clarify advisor and student roles, set clear expectations, and improve transparency.

“Our goal with Advising Refuel is to make our student experience seamless and highly intuitive in such a way that our students are able to leverage on their experience and use the available tools to navigate their academic plans.” — Dr. Mezquita-Macaia

Key Focus Areas and Progress

1. Reviewing Practices
The team is analyzing advising policies, syllabi, and communication strategies to create a cohesive framework. This includes ensuring clarity in advisor roles and seamless communication.

2. Training and Professional Development
Recognizing the importance of skilled advisors, the initiative prioritizes enhanced training. Collaborations are addressing gaps, defining the "Master Advisor" role, and standardizing training curricula. Participation in the ATD Advising Seminar Series is improving holistic advising skills.

3. Data-Driven Decisions
The team, in partnership with Institutional Research, is analyzing student outcomes such as retention rates and caseload data. Feedback from students, faculty, and staff will measure progress and refine practices.

4. Stakeholder Engagement
By creating surveys and feedback loops, the team ensures that students, advisors, and administrators influence ongoing improvements.

5. Phased Implementation
A phased approach allows for manageable and impactful enhancements. Early priorities include the advising syllabus, communication milestones, and process visuals.

Shifting Toward Student Success

Advising Refuel represents a cultural shift at Reynolds, focusing on student success and opportunity. By addressing the critical 0-30 credit window, the initiative ensures students receive the guidance and resources they need to thrive early in their academic journey.

Looking Ahead

With a structured, data-driven approach and insights from national leaders, Reynolds is setting a new standard for advising. Through enhanced training, transparent communication, and continuous improvement, the initiative serves as a model for other institutions. The goal is to ensure every student feels supported, informed, and empowered to achieve their academic and career goals. As early phases roll out, the Advising Refuel team remains confident in its ability to deliver meaningful outcomes for students and the Reynolds community.