2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Implementing Convergence Education: Exploring the Role of Academic Advising in Cross-College Programming

Academic advising is integral to student learning and program navigation in higher education. Positioned at the intersection of curriculum and faculty, advisors help students traverse academic structures while institutions respond to evolving societal and workforce needs. Transdisciplinary, cross-college programs are reshaping traditional departmental boundaries; convergence education extends this shift by intentionally integrating knowledge and methods across disciplines to generate integrated educational outcomes. This exploratory case study examines how academic advising functions within a cross-college, co-taught convergence program: a design- and innovation-focused minor collaboratively delivered by engineering technology, liberal arts, and business. The program sequences courses that allow students from any major to engage in meaningful, multi-semester design projects. A distinctive feature is co-teaching—faculty from different colleges teach together in the same classroom—enabling cross-functional teams and blended disciplinary perspectives. While such structures create rich learning opportunities, they also introduce advising complexities (e.g., plan-of-study alignment, policy coordination, and student wayfinding). Using a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews, this study explores the early findings of advisors’ roles, challenges, and strategies within a larger research project. Findings aim to inform the design of cross-college programs and provide actionable guidance to support advisors working within convergence-based models.

Authors

Deana Maria Lucas http://orcid.org/0009-0007-2588-1245 Purdue University at West Lafayette [biography]

Deana M. Lucas is a PhD candidate in the Technology Leadership and Innovation Department at Purdue University. Deana's background in Technology and Engineering Education drives her passion for working in spaces where disciplinary content converges. Her research spans both K-12 and higher education environments.
Rebecca Martinez Purdue Polytechnic Graduate Programs [biography]

Rebecca Martinez serves as the Innovation Hub’s Graduate Research Assistant at Purdue University. She is a cultural anthropologist with deep interest in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, teaching, and learning. She is a PhD candidate and her research looks at approaches to collaborative research and education. With extensive experience spanning diverse, mission-driven initiatives, Rebecca has engaged in community-based projects to refugee resettlement work in Missouri, as well as contributing to international health and education initiatives in Liberia. Since 2021, she has been an active participant in two university-based lab spaces, both of which embrace novel approaches to teaching, learning, and social change. She has been supported by NSF, the Knox Fellowship, and Millipore Sigma’s Leaders of Color program. Outside her academic pursuits, she is a leader of Anthropology Graduate Student Organization and a non-profit supporting educational and health projects in Liberia.

Rebecca’s current work represents a synthesis of her broad interests, all oriented toward the exploration of the possibilities within institution such as higher education. Her commitment to addressing barriers and fostering innovation for social change shines through in her professional journey.
Dr. Sherylyn Briller Purdue University [biography]

Dr. Sherylyn Briller is a Professor of Anthropology at Purdue University. Dr. Briller is an applied cultural anthropologist specializing in health and transdisciplinary education. She is a Faculty Associate in the Center on Aging & the Life Course and in Critical Disability Studies. Dr. Briller is the Past President of the Society for Applied Anthropology and the Association for Anthropology and Gerontology Education.
Dr. Todd Kelley Purdue University – West Lafayette (College of Engineering) [biography]

Todd R. Kelley is an Associate Professor in Technology Leadership and Innovation. Dr. Kelley joined Purdue in 2008 upon completion of his PhD at the University of Georgia. He was hired as a P-12 STEM educational researcher and technology teacher educator.
Dr. Greg J Strimel http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4847-4526 Purdue University [biography]

Greg J. Strimel, Ph.D., is an associate professor and interim department head in the Department of Technology Leadership and Innovation at Purdue University, where he coordinates the Design and Innovation Minor, prepares future K–12 Engineering Technology Teachers, and supports the graduate student program in STEM education leadership.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026