Advisor of the Year
The Utah Advising Association would like to present the Utah Academic Advisor of the Year award as a recognition for the invaluable role played by Academic Advisors in student support and success. One academic advisor in the State of Utah will receive $250, as well as a complimentary conference registration to the next year’s annual UAA Conference.
***NOTE: UAA has made some changes to the Advisor of the Year Award. There will be no nominations.
2024 Advisor of the Year Winner
Maygen Simm
Utah State University
Eligibility
Any full-time professional advisor whose primary role is advising, is from the Utah Advising Association participating institutions, with at least three (3) years of consecutive employment in advising and who is currently employed as an advisor is eligible.
Criteria
- Effective and continuous advising of students
- Availability to advisees
- Caring and nurturing attitude towards advisees
- Exemplary interpersonal skills
- Mastery of institutional regulations, policies, and procedures
- Monitoring of student progress toward academic and career goals
- Proactive use and dissemination of information resources
- Assists students in creating meaningful connections to the school, their peers, and faculty
- Participation in advisor development programs and groups
- Collaboration with other colleagues, departments, and institutions
- Shows initiative and creativity in meeting advisee needs and helping them to reach their full potential
- Has made a significant contribution to the quality of the academic advising unit, school/college and/or department
- Inspires fellow colleagues and advisees to reach their full potential
- Promotes equitable and inclusive advising environments
Portfolio Requirements
- Personal Statement/Advising Philosophy
- Resume/Curriculum Vita
- Letter from student
- Letter of support from supervisor or colleague
- Up to five (5) pages of support materials
- Portfolio should not exceed a total of nine (9) pages, excluding the cover page. If a portfolio exceeds this, the advisor may not be considered for this award.
Further guidance is available to nominees upon request.
Important Submission Dates
Submission Deadline: March 20, 2026
Award finalists will be notified via email and announced on the UAA website home page. Winners will be announced at the Utah Advising Association conference during the lunch program.
Submission Procedure
Advisors will be able to submit their electronic portfolio with the following notations:
- Portfolios are to be submitted as a PDF.
- Advisors will submit their electronic portfolio to Jamie Kearra at jamie.kearra@utahtech.edu
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On the Advisor of the Year tab:
Contact your UAA Governing Board Representative with questions, comments, or concerns.
