Michigan Technological University has recently welcomed Travis Wakehem, the new Coordinator of Academic Advising. In this new role, which started in Jan. 2025, Wakeham oversees all academic advisors and will continue to provide support to ensure student success across the Tech community. Wakeham is excited to work more closely with students and advisors outside of the Department of Biological Sciences.
In his new coordinating role, Wakeham’s goal is to provide more resources to advisors in all departments, which will, in turn, provide more support to the students.
“I’m excited to build connections across campus and work with people more closely in various departments… and have a better understanding of how those are functioning. My goal is to create some really high-impact practices to make things better for everyone,” Wakeham said.
A Michigan Tech alum himself, Wakeham partakes in several outreach programs at Tech. Wakeham is a Career Coach and a Safe Place Ally, as well as being trained in mental health first aid. In addition to his long-term involvement in programs gearing student success, Wakeham has been providing academic support as the academic advisor and Professor for the Biological Science department for the past eight years.
In hopes of continuing to strengthen the advising department, a new approach to Tech’s education requirements called ‘Essential Education’ will be enacted. This system includes a new software that will provide advisors with more support to guide their students.
Wakeham expressed his excitement for the new system: “We’re excited to build more consistency across the advising experience, being able to use the new software in order to help better plan future semesters. These programs will offer more flexibility than others, having more advanced tools which will help better predict needs for our students.”
Wakeham stresses the importance of meeting with your advisor at least once a semester to build connection and receive support in other ways besides following degree audits and course scheduling. He wants students to know that advisors can serve as a much larger resource, and students should not be afraid to reach out.
Go to caldenly.com/twakeham to schedule a meeting with Wakeham, or to
mtu.edu/registrar/students/advising to find more information on advising for student success.
