Advisor of the month: August 2024

What do you enjoy about your role in advising?
I advise first-year engineering students. There is nothing I enjoy more than hearing about their dreams and working with them to help make their dreams a reality. If I can help any student make a connection with a person or office or opportunity that moves them closer to their goals or helps them realize their dreams, I will feel like I've done my part.

In what ways have you contributed to advising in your department/area?
I have very intentionally tried to establish a virtuous cycle of research to practice in academic advising in our department. As the coordinator of advising in our department, it has been my honor to help lead our team towards integrating more theoretical and conceptual frameworks into our advising practice so that we can contribute to the field while also serving our students.

What advice would you give to other professionals who want to a make a difference in the life of their students?
The only advice that I can give is to be your authentic self. I'm not the friendliest or the most approachable advisor, and yet I build strong rapport with my students because they know that they will get the truth from me and that I care about what happens to them. They know that because I am authentically myself in our appointments and all of our interactions. You can't fake caring about them; they will sniff you out in a minute if you try to be anyone other than yourself. So just be your true, caring self, and if you don't actually care about them, find other work.