Award Winners

2023-2024 WINNERS Heading link

  • James James Alford, Academic Advisor, College of Business Administration- winner of The Provost's Excellence Award, Access to Success: “I have witnessed firsthand how involved and engaged James is with his students, especially those who are underrepresented. As an innovative leader, he continues to show that he is dedicated to his work with the students on our campus and is committed to doing his part in making UIC a better place for all who are here.”

  • April April Long, Associate Director, Departmental Advising, Student Academic Affairs, LAS- winner of Outstanding Administrator: "April’s paper resume cannot possibly convey how hard she works at all aspects of her role, how tremendous of a supervisor she is to 14 unique advising professionals, how thoughtfully and critically she considers each of the advising initiatives she oversees, how hard she works on something if she thinks she can make it in any way a more efficient process for advisors, how much time she is willing to put into something if she thinks she can in any way make it clearer and less cumbersome for students…”

  • Trisha Trisha Garcia, Academic Advisor, Student Academic Affairs, LAS- winner of Outstanding New Advisor: "Trisha is a role model to all new advisors for being self-motivated, a student advocate, and an initiative-taker. She is dedicated to advising, higher education, and learning as much as she can to be the best advisor and professional she can be."

  • Mirtza Mirtza Campbell, Senior Advisor: College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs- winner of Outstanding Advisor: "Mirtza exemplifies an experienced and exceptionally talented academic advisor; as she helps all her advisees to succeed and has a unique capacity to connect with and serve all students."

  • Yazmin Yazmin Rodriguez, Senior Academic Advisor: Student Academic Affairs, LAS - winner of Outstanding Advisor: "Yazmin is not only a world-class advisor, but undeniably an emerging leader on our staff who is committed to her work and her students."

  • Rachel Rachel Schaffnit, Academic Advisor: Student Academic Affairs, LAS - winner of Outstanding Advisor: "Rachel’s students have pointed out they are confident in her expertise, enjoy her kind and thoughtful ways of communicating and feel confident in their own growth as UIC students due to Rachel’s encouragement…"

  • Simona Simona Stankevicius, Academic Advisor, Rehabilitation Sciences - winner of Outstanding Advisor: "Simona is not only an exceptionally empathic, creative, collaborative and student-focused advisor, she is also a wonderfully and innately kind and thoughtful human-being."

  • Natalie Natalie Vesga, Director, Chicago Early Childhood Preparation and Pathway Project, Educational Psychology - winner of Outstanding Advisor: "In preparation for this nomination, I invited students to send a sentence or two about Natalie. Nearly fifty students took the time to write back; words like amazing, helpful, passionate, inspiring, encouraging, resourceful, enthusiastic, and energetic are throughout their responses, illustrating why she is an Outstanding Advisor."

Previous Winners Heading link

2023 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS : 

Provost’s Excellence Award/Access to Success:

  • Daisy Lemus, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services

Administrator Outstanding Practitioner:

  • Rachel Najdzin, College of Applied Health Sciences

New Advisor Outstanding Practitioner:

  • Brandon Ishikata, Honors College

Advisor Outstanding Practitioner:

  • Margarita Bautista, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services
  • Brandi France, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Meg LaLonde, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Tim Nemec, College of Business Administration
  • Jo Wagner, College of Applied Health Sciences

2022 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS : 

New Advisor:

  • Joseph Garcia, Academic Center for Excellence

Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award:

  • Whitney Harris, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition
  • Deborah Molasky, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Joshua Taylor, Department of Computer Science

2021 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS : 

New Advisor:

  • Gonzalo Trejo, LARES

Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award:

  •  Lauren DeJulio Bell, Honors College
  • Marilyn Diaz, LARES
  • Susan Lee, Department of Bioengineering

2020 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS : 

  • Kevin Price, School of Public Health
  • Elena Diaz, College of Engineering
  • Maris Fujiura, AHS Department of Disability and Human Development

2019 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS : 

  • Bradley Mueller, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Massiel de los Santos, Honors College
  • Rachel Najdzin, AHS Department of Kinesiology

2018 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS: 

  • Sharon Hayes, Department of Public Administration
  • Stephanie O’Leary, Honors College
  • Omare Villagrana, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES)

2017 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS: 

  • Tula Georgopoulos, College of Nursing
  • Iliana Miranda, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES)
  • Alicia Rodriguez, Hispanic Center of Excellence, College of Medicine

2016 ADVISOR AWARD WINNERS: 

  • Allison James, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Sara Mehta, Honors College
  • Jo Wagner, College of Business Administration