I applied to the program because I wanted to become an academic advisor. I wanted to become an academic advisor because I wanted to see a change in academic advising. A wise man once said "be the change you want to see in the world", which is why I signed up for this course to learn how I can effectively influence change. More specifically, affect change in academic advising for underrepresented populations, including Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students. As a student affairs professional, I want to serve students who have been identified as having the talent and ability to succeed in college, but who have been disadvantaged by financial and academic circumstances. Approximately 93% of EOP students have a family income of less than $25,000 per year (Eop.buffalostate.edu, 2014). Although colleges and universities are becoming more diverse, a gap exists between ethnic minority students and majority students in achievement