Advising Awards

Anyone affiliated with the University (i.e.deans, dept heads, faculty, professional/classified employees or students) may nominate any faculty or professional advisor for an award. Click below for nominating candidates for the Outstanding Professional Advisor of the Year or for an Outstanding New Advisor Award:

  • Outstanding Professional Advisor of the Year Award (The nomination period is ended)
  • Outstanding New Advisor Award (The nomination period is ended)

Utah State University is committed to excellence in academic advising. Outstanding advisors and advising programs may receive recognition at both an institutional and national level. A general overview involved for three of the four advising awards are included below.

  • Outstanding Professional Advisor of the Year Award (Robins) (The nomination period is ended)
  • Outstanding Faculty Advisor of the Year Award (Robins) (The nomination period is ended)
  • Outstanding New Advisor Award (The nomination period is ended)
  • Outstanding Advising Program Award (The nomination period is ended)

At an institutional level, an advisor may receive a "Robins Award." The Robins Awards are named after a former student body president at Utah State University and are USU's version of the Academy Awards. USU has two categories of advising Robin's Awards: Outstanding Professional Advisor of the Year and the Outstanding Faculty Advisor of the Year. Other advising awards granted at Utah State include the Outstanding New Advisor award and the Outstanding Advising Program award.

Winners of these awards may also be recognized at a national level by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) which grants awards in each of these areas. Individuals and programs that have won a Utah State advising award or a national award related to advising are listed below.

USU Advising Awards

Robins Award - Professional Advisor of the Year

1992 Patricia O. Preston - Psychology
1993 Sheri N. Noble - Elementary Education
1994 Mary W. Leavitt - College of HASS
1995 Maureen Wagner - College of Natural Resources
1996 Jennifer W. Tingey - College of HASS
1997 Mary Ann Warren - Elementary Education
1998 Susan Ericksen - Family and Human Development
1999 Moneice Stocker - College of Business
2000 Deborah Reece - Physics
2001 Carol Sainsbury - Student Support Services
2002 Sylvia Robinson - Elementary Education
2003 Jana Kay Lunstad - English
2004 Darcie Peterson - Special Education & Rehabilitation
2005 Sally Peterson - College of HASS Advising Center
2006 Lynne Slade - College of HASS Advising Center
2007 Myra Cook - Computer Science

Robins Award - Faculty Advisor of the Year

1985 Joan Bowden
1986 Chuck Lutz - Administrative Systems and Business Education
1987 Harold Kinzer - Languages and Philosophy
1988 David Walker - Plants, Soils, and Biometeorology
1989 Joseph G. Morse - Honors Program
1990 Thomas S. E. Hilton - Business Information Systems and Education
1991 Ted Andra - English
1992 Lloyd W. Bartholome - Business Information Systems and Education
1993 Gary S. Straquadine - Agricultural Systems Technology and Education
1994 Vicki Allan - Computer Science
1995 Jim Bame - Intensive English Language Institute
1996 Helga Van Miegroet - Forest Resources
1997 H. Grant Vest - Plants, Soils, and Biometeorology
1998 E. Helen Berry - Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology
1999 Stanley D. Allen - Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences
2000 Noreen Schvaneveldt - Nutrition and Food Sciences
2001 Isela Chiu - Languages and Philosophy
2002 Mary Jo Blahna - Management and Human Resources
2003 Chris Luecke - Aquatic, Watershed and Earth Resources
2004 Lyle G. McNeal - Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences
2005 Doran Baker - Electrical & Computer Engineering
2006 Susan Dudash - Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication

Outstanding New Advisor Award - Professional Advisor

2003 Susie Maughan - Elementary Education
2004 Stephanie Hamblin - University Advising and Transfer Services
2005 Dawn Black - Elementary Education
2006 Megen Ralphs - University Advising

Outstanding New Advisor Award - Faculty Advisor

2004 Dennis Welker - Biology
2006 Keri Ryan - Civil and Environmental Engineering

Outstanding Advising Program Award

2004 Student Support Services

National Advising Awards

NACADA Outstanding Advisor Award - Primary Role

1990 Karen W. Peterson - College of Business
1993 Pat Preston - Psychology
2005 Darcie Peterson - Special Edcuation and Rehabilitation

NACADA Outstanding Advisor Certificate of Merit - Primary Role

1986 Kathy E. Bayn - College of Engineering
1986 Judith Odell-Poe - Elementary Education
1987 Mona T. Higbee - Elementary Education
1994 Sheri Noble - Elementary Education
1995 Mary Leavitt - College of HASS
1996 Maureen Wagner - College of Natural Resources
1997 Jennifer W. Tingey - College of HASS
1998 Mary Ann Warren - Elementary Education
1999 Susan Ericksen - Family and Human Development
2002 Carol Sainsbury - Student Support Services
2003 Sylvia Robinson - Elementary Education
2004 Jana Kay Lunstad - English
2006 Sally Peterson - College of HASS Advising Center
2007 Deborah Reece - University Advising

NACADA Outstanding Advisor Award - Faculty Advisor

1991 Thomas Hilton - Business Information Systems Education
1992 Ted Andra - English
2000 Stan Allen - Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences
2005 Lyle McNeal - Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences

NACADA Outstanding Advisor Certificate of Merit - Faculty Advisor

1986 Nile Meservy - Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology
1986 James J. Kennedy - Forest Resources
1987 Charles Lutz - Administrative Systems and Business Education
1988 Joseph G. Morse - College of Science and Honors Program
1989 Lee Ann Rawley - Intensive English Language Institute
2001 Noreen Schvaneveldt - Nutrition and Food Sciences
2002 Isela Chiu - Languages and Philosophy
2003 Mary Jo Blahna - Management and Human Resources

NACADA Academic Advising Administrator Award

2004 Mary Leavitt - HASS Advising Center
(also recipient of Gail Rola Memorial Award)

NACADA New Academic Advisor Award - Primary Role

2007 Megen Ralphs - University Advising

NACADA New Academic Advisor Certificate of Merit - Primary Role

2004 Susie Maughan - Elementary Education
2005 Stephanie Hamblin - University Advising and Transfer Services
2006 Dawn Black - Elementary Education

NACADA New Academic Advisor Certificate of Merit - Faculty Advisor

2005 Dennis Welker - Biology
2007 Keri Ryan - Civil and Environmental Engineering

NACADA Outstanding Advising Program Award

2005 Student Support Services


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