Jennifer Bloom is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Master’s degree program in the Higher Education & Student Affairs Program housed in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policies at the University of South Carolina. Prior to her appointment at the University of South Carolina in August 2007, she served as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1995.

Dr. Bloom served as the 2007-08 President of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). She received the NACADA Outstanding Advising Administrator Award in 2005 and University of Illinois’ Campus Academic Professional Excellence Award in 2007.

Dr. Bloom has co-authored four books. The first book, Career Aspirations & Expeditions: Advancing Your Career in Higher Education Administration, was released in 2003 and co-authored by Nancy Archer-Martin. The second book, The Appreciative Advising Revolution, was released earlier in September 2008 and is co-authored by Bryant Hutson and Ye He. The third is co-authored with Bryant Hutson, Ye He, and Claire Robinson and it is titled Appreciative College Instruction: Becoming a Force for Positive Change in the Student Success Courses (2011). The fourth will be coming out this summer and it is titled Increasing Persistence: Research-based Strategies for College Student Success. The co-authors are Wes Habley and Steve Robbins. Her research interests include appreciative advising, academic advising, career paths in higher education administration, leadership, and change management.

Bryant Hutson is Associate Director for the Faculty Teaching and Learning Commons at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). He facilitates the professional development of faculty and staff to enhance the quality of teaching, learning and advising. Previously he served as the Associate Director for Student Academic Services (SAS) at UNCG. The SAS office received the Noel-Levitz Retention Excellence Award in 2004 and 2009 and the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Program Award in 2004 for programs based on Appreciative Advising.

Bryant holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Curriculum and Teaching with a minor in educational research, measurement, and evaluation. In addition to co-authoring The Appreciative Advising Revolution (2008) and Appreciative College Instruction: Becoming a Force for Positive Change in Student Success Courses (2011), he has made more than 70 conference presentations, and has published peer-reviewed journal articles on academic advising, student retention, and especially the use of assessments to enhance the quality of student success efforts. He has served as the North Carolina state representative for NACADA from 2005 to 2008, and is currently serving as the chair of NACADA’s Appreciative Advising interest group.