Funds for Advisors to Pursue Professional Development and Education
Since 2018, the Offices of Academic Affairs and Student Academic Success have graciously set aside annual funding for academic advisor professional development. While some of these funds will be used to continue training programs and the annual advising conference with which most are familiar, the majority of this funding is available to individuals and groups to help cover education and training costs related to professional development.
The John Wanzer Professional Development (JWPD) grant for undergraduate Academic Advisors allows individuals to request up to $1,000 while groups of 3 or more can request funds of $2,500. Typical award amounts are expected to be $500 for individuals and $1,000 for groups; all awards will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Preference will be given to staff:
- Who are employed in roles with a strong academic advising component
- Have been an advisor at Ohio State for at least two years
- Have not been awarded from this fund in the past two years and
- Completed a pay it forward activity (see expectations below)
For group applications, preference will be given to groups containing at least one staff member who meets the above criteria.
Additional Details
Funds will be available as reimbursement to the advisor's fiscal unit. During the application process, advisors will be asked to identify their fiscal officer, who we will work with to facilitate a funds transfer to cover the approved expenses after the submission of a final expsense report.
Awardees should be in an academic advising related role at the time of the professional development activity for reimbursement (for group applications, at least one participant should be in an academic advisin related role at the time of the activity).
Awards may be considered taxable
How can I use the funds?
- Registration and membership fees for conferences, seminars and professional organizations
- Tuition and related costs for certification or re-certification
- Expenses incurred to provide professional development to a group or department
- Online workshops or webinars
- Funded travel must follow the university's travel policy and procedures, including obtaining a pre-approved Spend Authorization in Workday, before any costs may be incurred. For more information, visit travel.osu.edu.
How are the funds awarded and distributed?
The JWPD funds are awarded through a competitive process, and applicants are asked to provide a statement on how the proposed activities benefit either their own professional development, or that of academic advising at Ohio State.
Only completed applications will be considered. Priority is given to applicants who have not received JWPD funds in the past 2 years. Reviewers will be looking for the details of the proposal to be thorough and clearly outlined regarding how the learning activity will support the individual, unit, university and students in a positive way. They look for the description of the learning activity to support the desired outcome. Applications undergo at least two levels of review: first for completeness and eligiblity of the request, second to judge the quality and applicability of the experience (application reviews resulting in an evenly split decision will require an additional review).
Application Process and Timeline
Please consult with your manager or supervisor ahead of time to ensure that your participation will be supported. Please submit your application as far in advance as possible; our goal is to notify selected applicants within 2 weeks but may take up to 4 weeks. For group applications, one person will be desiganted as the applicant contact; it is still a good idea to comlete the application together as a group.
JWPDF awards that are not used within 90 days of the completion of the event will need to be resubmitted and re-reviewed for approval based on the updated availability of remaining funds.
Our Pay It Forward Expectation
Recipients of the JWPD funds will be expected to complete a pay it forward activity. This could include writing a blog post or Advisor Beat submission about their experience to highlight how other advisors can incorporate the ideas or skills gained from the experience; presenting at a professional development event for the OSU advising community, etc. This activity should occur within 10 months of the activity. To aid in completing this requirement, recipients' email addresses may be provided to parties who offer opportunities for advisors to share their learning (e.g.- ACADAOS Professional Development Committee).
Application Links
For 2024, the Central Support for Academic Advising office is supporting advisors attending FYE's Focus on the First Year conference by covering the cost of attendance for all advisors. Please request this support using the link below.