2008 NACADA Region 7 Award Winners

Robb Jenson, Texas A&M University, Outstanding Advisor - Primary Role

Robb is the Retention and Assessment Coordinator for the Office of Honors Programs and Academic Scholarships, which is charged with recruiting and retaining top students. He is the lead advisor for ASPIRE (Aggie Scholars Promoting Resources and Encouragement) peer-mentorship program and works with the University's Century Scholars.

Robb, a first generation college student himself, feels that his role is to "help students understand their particular their particular situation and to help them find a pathway to achieving their goal" and has valued the opportunity to "give back and to help others to achieve their goals and desires."

One of his students said that as a mentor, "Robb does a phenomenal job" and that students "know that his door is always open."

Carole L. Shook, University of Arkansas, Outstanding Faculty Academic Advising Award

Carole has been a faculty member at the University of Arkansas since 1999. She has taught many different courses for the department and three of her six publications deal with student issues in the classroom. In addition, she has been the recipient of numerous awards for her teaching and advising.

Carole has served her campus in a variety of roles. She was one of the inaugural members of the University of Arkansas Academic Advising Council and has held multiple stints as the Chair and Vice-Chair. She has been on numerous University task forces as well as a faculty advisor to three different student organizations.

Carole believes that advising is about:

• building relationships
• teaching
• doing the right thing
• helping students take responsibility for their education
• knowing your field
• taking time to make sure you are giving correct information
• and that above all, advising is about caring and is one of the most rewarding activities on campus.

As one of her colleagues put it, Carole ensures that "each student gets her full attention and her patient, always smiling advice" while another called her dedication to students "extraordinary." One of her students said that Carole is the "epitome of what an advisor should be" while another called her "an invaluable asset to the students, faculty, and staff" of the university.

Jana L. Adams, University of Oklahoma, Graduate Student Scholarship Award

Jana currently serves as Assistant Director of Advising in the Williams Student Services Center in the College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. She is currently in the Masters program in Education at the University of Oklahoma. She plans to continue in the doctoral program in Adult and Higher Education this spring. She describes her passion to be "training and development with respect to the advising arena of academia." Jana believes that advisors are "both teachers and innovators" and plans to use her higher education degree to "streamline existing advising models and design new ones."

Jana's director describes her as "a model employee, student, and teacher" and that she has been "instrumental in designing and implementing policies within the Williams Student Services Center."

2008 NACADA South Central Region VII Awards are being offered for these categories.  

• Outstanding Advisor-Faculty                   Application Information    Nomination Form  
• Outstanding Advisor-Primary Role           Application Information    Nomination Form
• Graduate Student Scholarship Award      Application Information    Nomination Form

Due date is December 3, 2007

2007 Region 7 Advising Award Winners

Dr. Carole Herrick, Hendrix College , Outstanding Advising Administrator

Lauren Campbell, University of Texas , Graduate Student Scholarship

2006 Region 7 Advising Award Winners

Ms. Laura Cullen, University of Oklahoma , Senior Academic Advisor, University College -- Outstanding Advisor, Primary Role - 2006

Dr. Joel Freund, Associate Professor, Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences,Psychology Department, University of Arkansas --Outstanding Advisor, Faculty - 2006

2005 Region 7 Advising Award Winners

Sandra Stearns, English Instructor and Faculty Advisor at Cloud County Community College  --

Harold Reuber, Student Counselor at Johnson County Community College--

Outstanding Advisor-Primary Role - 2005

Zeak Naifeh, Advising Graduate Assistant, Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville--Graduate Student Scholarship Award - 2005