Bothell Undergraduate Centralization Leadership Team

The Undergraduate Academic Advising Leadership Team oversees UW Bothell’s newly centralized advising unit. The team provides strategic leadership, policy development, and professional growth opportunities for undergraduate academic advisors on campus. The academic advisors support all undergraduate, non-matriculated, and post-baccalaureate students, ensuring every learner has access to high-quality guidance as they pursue their degrees. The team also partners closely with schools and student support services to deliver a seamless, coordinated care model across campus. Launched in summer 2024, this centralized approach represents a major transformation for UW Bothell. Under this team’s leadership this past year, the change has driven significant improvements in campus systems and, most importantly, in students’ success.

Tell us why you are nominating this individual or team

The UW Bothell Academic Advising Leadership Team has achieved a transformative milestone in advancing student success. In the 2024–2025 academic year, they boldly centralized advising services, creating a unified structure that redefined how students experience support. This ambitious reorganization involved moving 26 full-time employees from multiple spaces across campus into one unit, cross-training these staff on degrees, policies, and school practices, onboarding new staff, and establishing shared policies and procedures that set a strong foundation for future growth.

Their efforts were not just operational—they cultivated a culture of collaboration, equity, and innovation.

The impact of this work is profound. Advisors completed over 11,500 appointments in just one year, serving more than 4,000 unique students, while guiding thousands through orientation and graduation processes. These numbers reflect more than efficiency—they represent timely, personalized support that empowers students to thrive academically. Students are now ensured an equitable professional advising experience regardless of their degree program.

The team also launched a refreshed advising space designed to foster community, implemented Navigate360 standards for consistency, and developed a comprehensive advising website to provide accessible resources for students, faculty, and staff.

This work also improved the work life of the academic advisors. The team championed professional development by providing robust training programs for the team as well as funds for individual professional development opportunities. The team also built a new career ladder for professional advisors which provides clear guidelines for promotion. This took significant time working with HR to ensure the career ladder guidelines would work within UW policies.

The team created new communication channels with faculty and academic liaisons, ensuring alignment across campus. They also collaborated with other student services to ensure streamlined student support. Their advocacy amplified the student voice, influencing systemic improvements and strengthening retention and registration outcomes. Feedback from students and faculty highlights appreciation for responsiveness, flexibility, and the sense of security advisors now feel within a supportive structure.

This work required vision, resilience, and collaboration at every level. By laying this foundation, this leadership team has positioned UW Bothell as a leader in advising excellence and student success. Their achievements are not only a testament to their dedication but a model for transformative change in higher education.

What makes this nominee worthy of the DSA?

This team’s work has transformed student success, streamlined campus systems, and created more consistent experiences for both students and professional advisors. In just one year, quarter-to-quarter student retention has improved significantly. The team partnered with academic schools to identify policy disparities, such as grade appeals and waitlists, that caused confusion and inequitable experiences for students. They are now collaborating with deans to standardize these policies wherever possible. Centralizing advising has also strengthened partnerships with student-serving units like Career Services, Orientation, and Undergraduate Research, enabling a coordinated approach to student support. Instead of navigating multiple departmental advising units, these offices now have a single point of collaboration. As Scott James, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, noted, the new structure has made their staff’s work “so much easier.”

Beyond campus, the team has shared its lessons learned with national professional organizations, sparking widespread interest. Institutions across the country have reached out to learn from this thoughtful and impactful transformation—a testament to the team’s leadership and vision.

I have been personally inspired by the transformation of this work. We are already seeing significant changes in students’ success and progress towards graduation. The team did this work in ways that invited collaboration and problem solving with many stakeholders. It was one of the best models I’ve seen for large scale change at our campus.
Was there anything else?

Centralizing advising on the Bothell campus faced significant resistance, and this team worked under constant scrutiny as they built the new model. Throughout the process, they kept student and advisor success at the heart of their work and persevered despite challenges. Today, the results speak for themselves: skepticism has faded as the positive impact on student success becomes clear. Confidence in the model has grown because the team listened, responded to concerns, and created inclusive systems. Now, other groups seeking change look to this team as a powerful example of transformation.

Cinnamon Hillyard
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success
UW Bothell Office of Student Academic Success