Meet the 2021-22 Academic Advising Award Winners

Throughout the course of their academic careers, students will make connections with many influential people. It could be a faculty member who presents a lesson that inspires a student to pursue a major in their field of study. It could even be a coach, a mentor or resident advisor, or an alumnus/alumna who has developed as a leader in the professional world. Every single person makes a difference, but the relationships that endure the longest may be those between students and academic advisors.

These dedicated individuals support students as they figure out where they ultimately want to end up, and help chart the path to get there. Deeply committed to the success of all students, these are the people who keep them on track to graduate on time, offer a dose of realism when needed, and provide the overall support students need to realize their greatest ambitions. They are true cheerleaders and champions for our students, and are undeniably deserving of recognition every single day. On Friday, Jan. 28, NC State honored exceptionally deserving advisors from across the university during the 2021-22 NC State University Undergraduate Academic Advising Awards Ceremony.

See all of the award recipients below:

New Faculty Advisor Award

The New Faculty Advisor Award honors an outstanding faculty member who has been advising undergraduates for up to three years, including service at all institutions, and who spends less than 50 percent of their time serving as an academic advisor.

Recipient: Keith Howard

Keith Howard, assistant teaching professor and undergraduate advisor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, has been advising students since fall 2019. He is also the advisor for Rho Phi Lambda, the PRTM Service and Engagement Honor Society. One of his advisees said: “Keith Howard has always supported me and my academic goals. He is a genuine listener, cares about his students, encourages me when I am struggling, and keeps in touch. Time and time again Keith Howard has never let me down and continues to be someone I trust.”

New Advisor Award

The New Advisor Award is presented to an outstanding primary role advisor who has been advising for up to three years, including service at all institutions. Advising makes up 50 percent or more of the individual’s responsibilities.

Recipient: Stephanie Jares

Stephanie Jares is the coordinator for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, a role she has held since December 2019. She has a permanent caseload of students and advises other students in the department from the time they are admitted until they are assigned a faculty advisor. She created the department’s ambassador program in which 15-20 students serve. One of Stephanie’s advisees shared that “she does everything in her power to uplift her advisees and provide them with the resources that they need. Her individualized advising empowers students like me to live up to their fullest potential.”

Faculty Advisor Award

The Faculty Advisor Award recognizes an outstanding individual whose primary responsibility is in teaching and research and who spends less than 50 percent of their time advising undergraduate students. The individual has advised undergraduates for three-plus years including service at all institutions.

Recipient: Jeremiah Feducia

Jeremiah Feducia, associate teaching professor in chemistry, is the director of undergraduate programs for the department. He is the faculty mentor for the professional co-ed chemistry fraternity, Alpha Chi Sigma, and the chair of the Faculty Academic Committee for the university’s Council on Athletics. One of his advisees said “Personal to me, he knew how to flex his advising approach to meet my needs and ensure we achieved the outcome I had set out – building the relevant technical and business acumen to make a move into industry.”

Barbara Soloman Award

The Barbara Soloman Award is presented to the outstanding advisor who spends at least 50 percent of their time on direct delivery of advising to students and has five years or more of academic advising experience at NC State. This award is presented in honor of Barbara Soloman, whose long and distinguished career demonstrated both outstanding advising and advocacy for students as she championed student success.

Recipient: LaShica Waters

LaShica Waters has been advising students in the Leadership in the Public Sector Program — the university’s only online undergraduate degree-completion program — since 2011. She has implemented an LPS Networking Circle for current students to connect with LPS alumni, and hosts monthly virtual workshops on such topics as graduate school options and career development. Her nominators shared that “Dr. Waters is the consummate advisor because she is extremely accessible, extraordinarily patient, effectively knowledgeable of curricula and college/university regulations, and unceasingly encouraging.”

Carrie McLean Award

The Carrie McLean Award is presented to the outstanding administrator who has oversight of an advising functional area. Nominees must have served as an administrator for at least three years. The award honors the many contributions of Carrie McLean, the first director of advising at NC State, and her distinguished leadership both at NC State and across the nation.

Recipient: Jennifer McLamb

Jennifer McLamb is an assistant director of academic advising and an instructor in the Poole College of Management. She trains, supervises and provides professional development for the advising team and advises a caseload of students. She currently serves as co-chair of the university’s Advisor Professional Development Committee. One colleague wrote, “Jennifer is intentional about celebrating her supervisees for who they are, challenging and supporting them, optimizing their strengths, and building impactful relationships so that we are empowered to do all of those things for our students.”