FSU life coach receives national award for excellence in advising

LaShae Roberts

LaShae Roberts, assistant director of FSU’s Advising First Program, has been honored for excellence in advising by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). She is the winner of the First Place Award of the Region 4 Excellence in Advising – Advising Program 2017.

“LaShae’s leadership with college life coaching has been so impressive,” said Karen Laughlin, dean of Undergraduate Studies. “I am delighted to see her and our College Life Coaching Program win this well-deserved recognition.”

The NACADA Annual Awards Program for Academic Advising promotes, supports and honors quality academic advising in institutions of higher education for both individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising.

“I am humbled to receive this honor,” Roberts said. “It’s great to know that the hard work we do at the Advising First Center for College Life Coaching at FSU will be recognized.”

Roberts, who has managed the coaching program at FSU since 2014, manages, trains and supervises coaches; promotes and advances the FSU Coach-developed college life coaching model; and assesses coach meeting and student retention data. She also conducts local, regional and national presentations that demonstrate the effectiveness of coaching and its impact on student success and retention.

Roberts is also the recipient of other awards and honors for her excellence in advising. LaShae earned the Partner with a Purpose Award in 2015, was invited to the National Collegiate Learning Center Association to facilitate a three-hour pre-conference session in 2016 and the coaching conversation model she helped create was featured in International Coaching Federation’s Coaching World Magazine in 2014.

With more than 11,000 members, the NACADA provides a network and professional identity for the thousands of faculty, full-time advisors and administrators whose responsibilities include academic advising, coaching and supporting student success. They provide an intensive study of advising through various events and conferences throughout the year.

Advising First provides a network of professional academic advisors and college life coaches who support students as they realize their personal, academic and career goals at Florida State University. The primary focus of the program is to promote student retention from time of enrollment to graduation. Through the relationships with advisors and/or coaches, students are empowered to take personal responsibility and ownership of their educational endeavors. 

For more information about FSU Advising First, visit advisingfirst.fsu.edu.