Dr. Shawn Guiling and Marcy Ball, academic and professional advisors respectively at Southeast Missouri State University, have been honored by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) for outstanding academic advising.
Guiling has been named the NACADAs national faculty advisor for 2019. Ball has received the NACADAs Outstanding New Professional Advisor Award-Primary Advising Role.
The NACADAs Outstanding Advising Awards annually recognize individuals who have demonstrated qualities associated with outstanding academic advising of students or outstanding academic advising administration. The award will be presented at NACADAs Awards Ceremony held during the Annual Conference Oct. 20-23 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Guiling and Ball recently received Southeasts Outstanding Academic Advisor Award during the Universitys Excellence in Advising Celebration and Award Ceremony. Nominees for Southeasts Advising Awards must hold Master Advisor designation. They were recognized for their efforts to develop a strong rapport with student advisees and support students in their path to graduation. Both were nominated by student advisees and colleagues. The award allowed them to be nominated by Southeasts Office of Academic Advising for the National Academic Advising Associations (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Award.
Guiling, instructor of psychology, received an Outstanding Advising Award in the faculty advisor category. This award recognizes effective advising qualities and practices that distinguish the recipient as an outstanding academic advisor or faculty advisor, including, but not necessarily limited to, strong interpersonal skills; availability to advisees, faculty or staff; frequency of contact with advisees; appropriate referral activity; use and dissemination of appropriate information sources; evidence of student success rate; caring and helpful attitude towards advisees, faculty and staff; meeting advisees in informal settings; and monitoring of student progress toward academic and career goals.
I am very honored to be recognized for advising at both the University and national level by my students and colleagues, Guiling said. The outpouring of appreciation and warmth by so many people since learning that I earned that honor has been such a special experience. I am very happy to represent Southeast at NACADA because I believe in our mission to aid students in establishing and fostering a Will to Do for whatever it is they want to do with their future and however it is they plan to contribute to society.
Effective advising allows students a safe space to discuss career goals, personal goals, future ideas and plans, and barriers and supports to those ideas and plans, he added.
Much exploration related to learning and career goals can be done in the classroom, but the one-on-one advising setting allows for even more in-depth exploration, he said. My goal as an advisor is to join with the student to do all of these things, in and out of the classroom. Advising accomplishes so much and every student deserves an advisor who is excited to go on their journey with them toward their goals. This is why I am so proud to be honored in this way, because these awards help draw attention to the advising process which can sometimes be taken for granted in the overall college experience but is, indeed, one of the most important foundations. I greatly appreciate the students, faculty, and staff with whom I am fortunate to work, and look forward to continuing on those journeys with them.
Carol Heisserer, director of Academic Advising at Southeast and who nominated Guiling for the national NACADA award, said,I was not at all surprised when Dr. Guiling was nominated for Southeasts Outstanding Advisor Award by his advisees because he has a well-known reputation as an advisor and professor for establishing rapport with his students. As a part of his UI100 freshman orientation class, Dr. Guilings students are asked to meet with him early in the semester for just a short time to establish that trusting relationship. Students then have that supportive place to return later if they encounter obstacles or concerns. Those same practices are used with his assigned advisees. The personal attention Dr. Guiling gives his advisees makes all the difference.When I learned Dr. Guiling was chosen by NACADA as the recipient of an Outstanding Advising Award, I was thrilled for him. Dr. Guiling is one of several faculty members who have partnered with the Office of Academic Advising to develop and present various topical workshops under Southeasts Master Advisor Program. I appreciate all he has done to help us with the program and am delighted he has been recognized nationally for his commitment to advising and student success.
Ball, a professional advisor with Southeasts Center for Academic Advising, received the Outstanding New Advisor Award-Primary Advising Role, which is presented to individuals who have demonstrated qualities associated with outstanding academic advising of students and who have served as an advisorfor a period of three or fewer years.
I am very honored and humbled to receive this recognition at the national level, Ball said. I have always felt a passion to work with college students, and its a privilege for me to be a part of helping them find their paths to be successful.
The most enjoyable aspect of being an advisor is being a part of the students journeys to finding their passions and purpose, added Ball.
I enjoy the moments when students realize what their direction will be and what they want to accomplish, and I love the chance to be a part of helping them succeed, said Ball. I love the mindset at Southeast that we want our students to be successful and how can we help them to do that. And we work together as a team, from Academic Advising to Career Services to our faculty. I enjoy the connections as advisors that we have with our faculty and how hard they are working to make our students successful. I couldnt do this without them.
Amanda Eller, assistant director of Academic Advising at Southeast who nominated Ball for the award, said,I was so happy to learn that Marcy was honored with the Outstanding New Advisor Award – Primary Advising Role.She is so deserving and for her to be recognized at this national level from NACADA speaks volumes about her commitment and level of service to students.I observe her building meaningful relationships with students every day and see the impact she has had on so many students.I often hear feedback from students, parents and other faculty and staff on campus how truly helpful and caring Marcy is.Students always feel welcomed to follow-up with her regarding any questions or concerns they may have, and they know that she will make herself available to them and be that friendly voice of reason.
Established in 1983, the NACADA Annual Awards Program for Academic Advising honors individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising. The NACADA is a representative and advocate of academic advising and those providing that service to higher education. The Association has grown to more than 11,000 members.