Southeastern University

Jennifer Sabin

Jennifer Sabin is a faith-driven higher education leader and Executive Director of Student Success at Southeastern University, focused on transformational advising and student success through strategic systems, meaningful engagement and a strong sense of belonging.

Looking Beyond the Presented Challenge

Early in my academic advising career, I learned that the issue a student presents with is not always the problem that needs to be addressed. When a student wants to drop a course or change a major, there may be financial pressure, a lack of belonging, career uncertainty or family or work responsibilities. I recently spoke with a student who wanted to drop a required class. They weren't failing; they just didn't have a reliable ride to campus on Tuesdays. We worked on solving that problem, rather than assuming what was wrong.

Looking beyond the presented challenge means asking good questions and remaining curious about a student's circumstances. These are the qualities I look for when hiring advisors, and I work to grow in my team through professional development opportunities and informal feedback. 

Using Data for Proactive Student Support

At its best, academic advising should be proactive rather than reactive. When advisors can monitor leading indicators such as declining class participation, academic performance and engagement with the campus community, they can identify where a student may need support. We can also use historical data to understand which student populations have been less likely to succeed and determine how to provide support before a concern develops.

For me, however, data is only part of the picture. It can help identify where support may be needed, but students are not data; they are people with individual stories. Balancing data with relationships allows us to understand both the indicators and the person behind them.

Supporting the Whole Student

Students' personal lives do not stop when they step onto campus or log into class. For this reason, higher education institutions have a profound responsibility to consider the whole student so they can provide the right support at the right time. Advisors do this by stewarding a student's story, which may include balancing academics with work, family responsibilities and financial concerns, or even answering questions about the value of higher education.

“Technology can help us increase individual advisor capacity and reach more students, but it cannot replace the relationships we build with them.”

At Southeastern University, our framework for student success is defined as students having 'accessible, affordable and experiential pathways to an education that grows them intellectually, personally and spiritually.' For my team of advisors and me, achieving that vision requires meeting students exactly where they are.

Creating the Conditions for Relational Advising

The advisors' working conditions are the students' learning conditions. If advisors are overwhelmed, that can affect how they respond to students. As a leader, it is my responsibility to ensure they have the time, knowledge, and support to nurture the conversations that make advising relational rather than transactional.

Because students experience the university as a single institution, collaborative coordination across advising, enrollment, Student Financial Services and tutoring is important. Stronger coordination supports referrals, coaching and proactive intervention.

Helping Students Discover Their Divine Design

Student success is not just about helping a student get through the problem in front of them.

Advisors should also teach students how to navigate problems, advocate for themselves, and help them build the self-efficacy they will need after graduation. That connects deeply with our belief at Southeastern University that we have a responsibility to help students discover and develop their divine design.

I find it exhilarating to think about the broader impact of that work. Working with college students means helping shape what the world will look like in five, 10 or 15 years. Achieving this goal requires advisors to practice empathy, remain agile, and reflect honestly on their work, so they can adjust their approach to align with what the student in front of them needs.