Advising Future Health Professionals

Zachary Barclay, Ed.D. serves the School of Health Sciences (SHS) as Director of Academic Advising and Student Services. Driven by his personal education experiences and joy for learning, he is passionate about providing students with exceptional guidance. His impact extends beyond SHS as he helps lead Oakland University in enhancing academic advising in a way that is being recognized nationally.

Having originally studied to become a secondary-education English teacher, Barclay is now devoting his career to enhancing the broader concept of learning.

Starting in 2012 with a student services role at a community college, he first chose OU to earn his Master of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership. Graduating, he then joined OU’s First Year Advising Center (FYAC) as an adviser.

Barclay took part in a task force aimed at creating innovative solutions to better engage undecided students as they explore possibilities. This team succeeded, changing the name ‘undecided’ to ‘exploring’ at OU – a detail that is crucial in fostering student identity as it asks each individual to take the responsibility of being actionable and intentional. OU first year retention is up following this change.

This work also further inspired Barclay. Pursuing a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership, Barclay focused his capstone project on examining the training and development of advisers working with students who are exploring academic and career options. As Dr. Barclay explains, "Exploration extends even beyond the first-year student who chooses an initial major – it plays a key role throughout each academic journey. With proper preparation, advisers can encourage this approach, helping students to confirm, or even redecide and reframe, their academic and career pathways."

Barclay graduates with his doctorate

In 2024, Barclay became the SHS Director of Advising and Student Services. He also recently completed his doctorate and is very excited to be supporting SHS students with their health career program choices.

While the concept of exploring is occurring nation-wide, Oakland is proud to be at the forefront of this initiative. "The way we’re structuring it – our partnership with the Career and Life Design Center, some of the distinct interventions and tools being used, our focus on adviser training – is truly unique," explains Dr. Barclay. The impact of this exploring initiative is now being recognized across the country.

Dr. Barclay and Franklin present at NACADA

With OU colleague Jamie Franklin (Senior Adviser, FYAC), Dr. Barclay recently presented on the successes, challenges and overall impact of the ‘exploring initiative’ at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) regional conference. This pair also continues to take their work out on the road, presenting at the Michigan Association of Academic Advising (MIACADA) and the national NACADA meeting.

Dr. Barclay was also selected with Neil Baumgartner, Assistant Vice President of Advising at OU, to participate in the NACADA Assessment Institute. This exclusive opportunity invited experts from institutions across the country to discuss the process of formal assessment for advising programs. Dr. Barclay is now part of OU’s campus-wide advising assessment team, and he is designing and advancing pilot programs in his own office in SHS to assess both student and adviser learning outcomes.

"I feel very fortunate to be serving the School of Health Sciences," Dr. Barclay says enthusiastically. "It is exciting to share how Oakland University is redefining the student-adviser relationship through research-based concepts, models and frameworks of ‘exploring’ with the advising community statewide, regionally and nationally."

Since joining SHS, Dr. Barclay has shifted the advising team’s focus from being traditionally ‘major-based’ towards a ‘career-focus,’ while challenging advisers and students alike to think about post-graduation outcomes and adopt the perspective of ‘exploring.’ Dr. Barclay emphasizes, "We provide resources and encourage holistic thinking about the potential fit of each student’s academic and career goals, and have conversations that go above and beyond for our students."

Wigman meets with a student

As part of this philosophy, Dr. Barclay has designed and implemented a distinct Pre-Health Professions Advising program for SHS. Offered by adviser Brian Wigman, the SHS Pre-Health Professions Advising provides exceptional and comprehensive guidance for students looking to apply to professional health programs. Not only is this service beneficial to current and graduating SHS students, but alumni considering a return to school are also benefiting from it. A highlight is that the service extends beyond one-on-one meetings – Wigman spends time with participants in the SHS Collaboration Center, visits with student leaders and develops personal relationships and trust with each student.

Dr. Barclay looks forward to expanding the Pre-Health Professions Advising by adding further connections to the campus and community. He is encouraging the Academic Advising office to emphasize a postgraduate focus that extends beyond just doing well in classes and earning a degree. "At the end of the day, we are training future health professionals who impact health in very deep and meaningful ways in communities," Dr. Barclay says passionately. "These young adults are looking to advisers for guidance on how to reach their goals. Rather than focusing just on degree requirements, we encourage each student to explore their potential to contribute to the workplace, the world of health and society – being the best health professional they can be."

SHS Advising Team Back row left to right: Zach Barclay, Ashley Finkley, Krista Bisoski, Nancy Osmialowski Front row left to right: Brian Wigman, Denae May, Hnou Vue, Debi Gibbs