Our Advise publication welcomes you to the new academic year with a mix of returning and familiar faves as well as new features. We are proud to debut our new student column, “Active Voices.” Our inaugural piece is authored by Kimberly Marfo, who talks about her campaign to build awareness about the negative effects of microagressions. We also put a familiar name in a continuing feature—our “A Conversation With …” series—where Director Ann Postlewaite will be sitting in the interviewer chair. The fall issue begins with our NHS Rynearson National Adviser of the Year, Donna Murphy, who turned her chapter around to grow not only in numbers, but in heart.

This is the time of year when seniors have college applications on the brain, and you and your colleagues will be asked for recommendations. Ashley Pallie from Pomona College and Calvin Wise from Johns Hopkins University provide a helpful look at how admissions committees read recommendations. And even though college may be further off for middle level students, college aspirations are still important to build for young teens. Patrick Wu of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation talks about the value of building a college-going culture early.

We are privileged to begin the year with you as we share many exciting program updates. More importantly, we can’t wait to showcase the great things happening in your chapters and councils all year long. Our issues may be less frequent this year as we move to a quarterly publication, but our content and love for advisers will be broader and deeper in scope!

Nara Lee
Director of National Honor Societies

Ann Postlewaite
Director of Student Programs