Advisor of the month: February 2021

What do you enjoy about your role in advising?
My favorite part of advising is, by far, getting to know our students. I am so lucky to advise students from a variety of backgrounds. I love having the opportunity to get to know my students and watch them learn about themselves during the time they are at Virginia Tech. It is such an exciting time of life for them and I feel so honored to be able to share the experience with them. I enjoy when students get in touch with me years after graduation just to check in and tell me what they have been up to. 

In what ways have you contributed to advising in your department/area?
I feel that I contribute to my team by showing up every day with a smile. Advising can be difficult. I try to bring a positive outlook to every situation and to show support to my work family and my students. I take the time to get to know the people around me, which is what makes life enjoyable for me. 

What advice would you give to other professionals who want to a make a difference in the life of their students?
Listen! We have a lot of students come in to our offices throughout the semester. Take the time to get to know the students that you are working with. I like to make my students feel comfortable so that they feel like they can trust me and can talk to me. Advising isn't just signing forms or adding students to classes.  Students come from all over the world to attend Virginia Tech. They are away from the support system that they are used to. I try to support them any way that I can. Whether they just need to vent about a project that they worked on all night or they want someone to share in their excitement over a test they aced, I enjoy being that person for them.