Celebrating Advisors

Excellence in Professional Staff Undergraduate Academic Advising Awards

Developed and implemented by the Professional Academic Advising Leaders (PAAL) with sponsorship from the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), the Excellence in Professional Staff Undergraduate Academic Advising Awards recognizes the work of professional staff academic advisors and highlights their integral role in undergraduate students' experience and success at Cornell. Each year, two advisors are selected and awarded $2,500 for professional development. The annual celebration event recognizing both award nominees and recipients occurs each May.

This year's recipients

2023-24
Foula Dimopoulos, Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives
Liane Fitzgerald, Engineering Advising

Two academic advisors earn 2024 excellence awards Cornell Chronicle, May 2024

Past award recipients

2022-23
Shanna Leipzig, Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives
Andrea Poag, Dyson School of Applied Economics

Winners of 2023 Excellence in Professional Staff Undergraduate Academic Advising Awards announced Cornell Chronicle, May 2023

2021-22
Kristin Dade, Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives
Catherine Ramirez Foss, Arts & Sciences Student Services

Recipients of inaugural undergraduate academic advising awards named Cornell Chronicle, June 2022

Nomination Process

Any Cornell student, staff, or faculty member may make an nomination. Student agency and voice are particularly important, and nominations from students is highly encouraged. Staff are eligible to self-nominate.

Nominee eligibility:

Must be professional staff located within the college-level Student Services and Advising Offices, the undergraduate major departments, and the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives
Will have a significant part of their job role dedicated to advising undergraduate students on the academic experience
Do not need to have the term “advisor” in their job title
Embody or demonstrate many of the following qualities (more information about these qualities can be found on the nomination form):
- Awareness, Belonging, Equity & Inclusion
- Advisor Development
- Intellectual Curiosity/Student Development
- Interpersonal/Human Relations Skills
- Professional Practices

The annual nomination window is November through mid-January.

To recognize a faculty member or senior lecturer for their excellence in advising, please consider nominating them for the Carpenter Advising Award.