Winners of the Nicholas Evans Award for Excellence in Advising
Four academic advisers at West Virginia University have been awarded the Nicholas Evans Award for Excellence in Advising.
This annual award, established by the Office of the Provost, is given in honor of Dr. Nicholas Evans, a lifelong proponent of the importance of undergraduate advising at WVU. Each year two faculty and two staff are recognized for their work advising and mentoring students. The recipients for 2017-18 are:
· Dana Huebert-Lima, teaching assistant professor in Biology, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences;
· Lawrence Iorio, developmental advising specialist, College of Business and Economics;
· Killeen Schlegel, program assistant, College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences;
· John Zondlo, professor, Chemical Engineering, Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
In his letter nominating Huebert-Lima, Richard Thomas, chair of the biology department, wrote, “When a student has an academic issue or significant personal challenges, her role as adviser is to help them redefine ‘success’ for themselves. She helps them identify as people first and students second. This allows them to recognize that their success and achievements don’t define them which helps when they fail to meet their academic goals.” Student comments were submitted anonymously and one wrote, “She pushes me outside of my boundaries and makes sure that I succeed in everything I apply myself to. It just means a lot to have someone in your corner, even on the worst day.”
Iorio advises more than 500 students and Brian Chang, director of Undergraduate Advising at the College of Business and Economics, wrote, “Lawrence may be one of the most gentle and pragmatic individuals that I have ever met. I have witnessed him stay in his office after regular business hours many times to help students or complete tasks that take him into the late evening.” A student wrote, “He goes the extra mile and remembers little details about our lives, while he must have hundreds of students to advise. He cares about the challenges we have in class and comes up with ways to help us.”
Schlegel was nominated by 10 co-workers, supervisors and students. Sean Bulger, supervisor for the CPASS Office of Student Success, wrote, “Students characterize Killeen as well-informed, organized, personable, proactive, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The faculty say that she is highly sought out by students based on the reputation for excellence that she has established.” A student wrote, “I can be a difficult student sometimes, but Killeen never gives up or loses spirit. She has also been a crucial piece of the puzzle to getting me on the correct track to graduation.”
Zondlo advises nearly 100 students while serving as a faculty adviser for multiple departments and college organizations. Rakesh Gupta, chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, wrote, “John has been an academic adviser in the department for more than 35 years. He represents the ‘corporate memory’ of this aspect of the department’s life.” A student wrote, “Dr. Zondlo has been one of the main reasons I’ve stayed in the major, and is also one of the main reasons I’ve been so successful over my college career.”
The Nicholas Evans Advising Award recipients will be recognized by President Gordon Gee and Provost Joyce McConnell at Blaney House this month. Each will also receive $1,250 in professional development support.
-WVU-
lr/04/23/18
CONTACT: Allyson Pierce
Academic Advising Council
sapierce@mail.wvu.edu; 304.293.2705.
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