The Award for Outstanding Contributions to Academic Advising and Mentoring

2013 Academic Advising Award Recipient

Ty Walton

Director, Carnegie Mellon Advising Resource Center

Ty Walton serves as the director of the Carnegie Mellon Advising Resource Center (CMARC) and the director of the Summer Academy for Math and Science. CMARC is an advising and resource center that provides academic programming and holistic advising for underrepresented ethnic minority undergraduates as well as students in transition. She has worked in higher education for approximately 30 years. She began her advising career at Washington University in St. Louis and came to Carnegie Mellon University in 1987. She obtained her B.S. in speech pathology and an M.A. in counseling from Truman State University.
 
Ms. Walton was a member of the Carnegie Mellon taskforce charged with assessing undergraduate advising at CMU. This taskforce played an integral role in the creation of the ongoing professional development series for undergraduate academic advisors. Ms. Walton serves as the coordinator for these meetings, which have had the effect of building a community of advisors and helping provide quality advising across campus.

Prior to assuming her current role, she served as the assistant director of the Carnegie Mellon Action Project (CMAP), the university’s minority retention program. Ms. Walton’s responsibilities in this role included assisting with the recruitment of underrepresented populations while providing a wide range of supportive services, which aimed to reduce the attrition rate of students. In addition to advising students, she played a vital role in the development and implementation of CMAP Summer Bridge, community college access program, William Penn Foundation Academic Light Load Program, Kodak Summer Research Initiative and the Summer Academy for Math and Science. 
 
Ms. Walton serves on the University Education Council, the Associate Deans Council, the President’s Diversity Advisory Council, University Persistence Committee, the Enrollment Strategy Group, and is the liaison for the Carnegie Mellon Black Alumni Association. 
 
Ms. Walton is driven in her efforts to help students succeed at Carnegie Mellon. Currently, she serves as an advisor to COMPASS - Coaching Minority Progress and Success in Science, BASE-Building Alliances for Success in Engineering, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. She is the CMARC liaison to the School of Computer Science and the Carnegie Institute of Technology.
 
Ms. Walton’s professional affiliations include membership in the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates. As a guest presenter in NACADA, The National Society of Black Engineers, The Motorola Innovation Generation Conference and the Pennsylvania Closing the Education Achievement Gap Conference, Ms. Walton has led discussions around topics relating to the expansion of the STEM pipeline; and best practices around community building, student engagement and the academic success of underrepresented students.
 
Ms. Walton’s heart is truly in the work. Her service to the university is highlighted by the belief that people whom students engage with provide the positive growth experiences that enable them to identify their goals and talents, and ultimately succeed.