Three University Advisors Receive National Awards

Three university advisors from NC State recently received national recognition at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)’s annual awards ceremony in Orlando, Florida. 

They all received their various awards at NC State’s annual advising awards ceremony in February, earning them automatic nominations for the national awards. 

Christin Phelps, a faculty member in the English department, earned NACADA’s Outstanding New Advisor Award in the Faculty Academic Advising Award category. 

The Outstanding New Advisor Award is given to advisors who have served as a professional advisor or faculty member with advising duties for three or fewer years. According to NACADA, the Faculty Academic Advising Category consists of “individuals whose primary responsibility is teaching and who spend a portion of their time providing academic advising services to students. Nominees must teach or do research for at least 50% of their time.”

Phelps received her bachelor’s degree from Guilford College in computer information systems, and both her master’s in technical communication and her doctorate in communication, rhetoric and digital media from NC State. She’s currently an academic advisor for rhetoric and professional writing concentration within the English department, where she also teaches in the Professional Writing program.

As part of Phelps’ nomination, one of her advisees wrote: “Dr. Phelps is always able to seamlessly help me work through conflicts in my schedules, should they arise. She also never turns down any questions I have, whether they are about classes, my future, possible career choices, or even her own experience.”

Shweta Trivedi (Animal Science) and Susannah Lawrence (University Advising and Exploratory Studies) both received certificates of merit, with Trivdei’s coming for an Outstanding Advisor Award under Faculty Academic Advising and Lawrence’s coming for an Outstanding Advisor Award in the Primary Advising Role category. 

Trivedi is a teaching professor in Animal Science and teaches anatomy, physiology, a professional development course for pre-veterinary students and study abroad courses in the United Kingdom and South Africa. She is the founding director of NC State’s Veterinary

Professions Advising Center (VetPAC) which is a national model for pre-vet advising.

Trivedi teaches and advises related pedagogical peer-reviewed manuscripts, college and university level awards, USDA-NIFA multicultural scholars’ grant and multiple national advisory board positions.

“Dr. Trivedi is committed to assisting students as they work towards career goals while improving advising practices on campus through her foundational mentoring program, VetPAC,” one of Trivedi’s advisees wrote. “…Dr. Trivedi is truly an individual who uses her platform selflessly to assist others in their academic endeavors.”

The Primary Advising Role category of the Outstanding Advisor Award goes to individuals whose primary role at the institution is the direct delivery of advising services to students, according to NACADA. Nominees must spend at least 50% of their time on direct delivery of advising to students and have at least three years (calendar years) of experience in direct delivery of advising to students.

Lawrence is a master academic advisor and lecturer in University Advising and Exploratory Studies, and works mostly with Exploratory Studies students. She has been at NC State for five years and has been an advisor for a decade. Lawrence teaches University Studies Course (USC) 101 and 102, and enjoys seeing students discover their intended majors. 

She also coordinates onboarding training for new advisors in the University Advising and Exploratory Studies program, and is the team lead for the advisor training and development team.

“She taught me skills that were crucial for my success at NC State,” one of Lawrence’s advisees wrote. “She has been nothing but kind, patient, and so supportive during this time of uncertainty. Susannah has always been very involved with not only mine, but all of her students’ academic careers.”

NC State has a strong record of academic advising from NACADA. This recognition is due to the outstanding advising faculty and staff advisors provide on campus as well as the robust advising award process on campus that makes recipients strong candidates for global & regional awards from NACADA.