Student Achievements
Master of Education CSAL Alum Wins 2018 NACADA Student Research Award
May 03, 2018
Nicole Rombach, a former student in the Master of Education degree program with a College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) emphasis, won an honorable research award. Nicole won NACADA’s 2018 Outstanding Master’s Research Award for her thesis. Nicole conducted a qualitative study to better understand the reasons why undergraduate women switch from STEM to non-STEM majors at a large, midwest liberal arts institution.
NACADA is a national association that “promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students.” Their Student Research Awards “recognize research conducted during a Master’s, Ed.D., or Ph.D. program that significantly adds to the body of knowledge on academic advising.”
Nicole expressed that her research could not have been possible without the participant’s willingness to share their stories, and the expertise provided by committee member, Dr. Donald Mitchell. During her time as a GVSU graduate student, Nicole worked as a graduate assistant for the Science majors and Pre-Professional students in the CLAS Academic Advising Center. She credits her success as an advisor to the mentorship and support of Jo Ann Litton. Nicole shared another experience as a graduate internship in the Office of Admissions at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Nicole said, “I am honored to have had the opportunity to learn from these remarkable individuals and to them, I am incredibly grateful”.
Congratulations to Nicole on winning the NACADA 2018 award!