Human Services Programs’ Advisory Board Initiatives: A Practical Model

Advisory boards are essential components of human services programs within higher education. They play a critical role in the oversight and achievement of program goals and outcomes. Advisory boards are required for programmatic accreditation and are commonly an institutional requirement as well. Despite their ubiquity, the processes and procedures that sustain advisory boards as part of programmatic development remain underexplored. This article outlines essential strategies for the establishment, maintenance, and evaluation of advisory boards, emphasizing the importance of diverse representation and active engagement. A case illustration highlights practices that can be considered by human services programs at various stages of advisory board development. This exploratory observational study emphasizes the vital role that advisory boards serve in bridging human services curricula with real world applications and in supporting the mission and strategic plans of human services programs.