2026 UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING CONFERENCE
October 7, 2026 | Stamp Student Union
Together We Thrive:
Building Community, Shaping Tomorrow
The conference is free and open to all UMD staff and faculty advisors.
The registration deadline is Sept. 23
Welcome
The 31st Annual Undergraduate Studies Advising Conference, “Together We Thrive: Building Community, Shaping Tomorrow,” will explore how academic advising can advance student success and prepare students for an evolving future. Please join us for discussions on collaboration, innovation, whole-student support, AI-informed advising, emerging careers, and building stronger advisor communities. Together, these conversations will emphasize the essential role of advising in creating resilient, engaged, and future-ready students.
Please contact Leeanne Dunsmore at ldunsmor@umd.edu at least one week prior to the event to request access needs or accommodations. In all situations, a good faith effort up until the time of the event will be made to provide accommodations.
Schedule
8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Check-in and coffee/tea
9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Keynote Speech:
Dr. Lawrence Clark
"Beyond the Degree Plan: Where Academic Advising meets Academic Coaching"
10:10 to 11 a.m.
Session #1
11:10 to 12:00 p.m.
Session #2
12:00 to 12:30 p.m.
Information Fair
12:30 to 1:20 p.m.
Lunch and Raffle
1:20 to 1:40 p.m.
Dean's Address / Advisor of the Year Awards
1:45 to 2:10 p.m.
Lightning Round
2:15 to 3:05 p.m.
Session #3
Sessions
Advisor Tracks (E = early; M = mid-career; S = seasoned; A = all)
Session #1
10:20-11:10 am
Disability Compliance and Accommodations for All (A)
Whole-Student Advising for Terps with TerpEngage (A)
Maximizing Student Employment: A Case Study of the GVPT Advising Office (A)
Leading While Learning: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Professionals Through Peer Advising (A)
Session #2
11:10 am-Noon
Advisor Attitudes Toward AI (A)
Preparing for the Elevate Transition: A Conversation About Workday Student and Advising (A)
Beyond the Numbers: Using Class of 2025 Career Outcomes to Enhance Advising Conversations (A)
Educational Impacts on F1/J1 Students Based on the Elimination of Duration of Status (A)
Onboarding and Onward: Rethinking New Advisor Training (M and S)
Lightning Round
1:45-2:10 pm
Know Yourself to Lead Others: Applying the DISC framework to Advising and Leadership Development (A)
Supporting At-Risk Students: Overview of STAR (Science Terp Academic Restoration) Program (A)
Advising our Pre-Professional Terps: Learning about our Services, Understanding the Needs of our Students, and Appreciating your Integral Role in the Process (A)
What's an ombuds? Helping Students Find Their Way on Campus (A)
Pre-College Credits and Student Success (A)
Session #3
2:15-3:05 pm
The Differences in Academic Experiences Between First-Year Students and Upperclassmen (A)
Learning on the Job: AI Literacy Through Internship Experience Student Panel (A)
Peer Mentors as Institutional Translators (E and M, but open to all)
Transfer Credit Essentials (A and M)
