Outstanding Academic Advisor Award

Missouri Western State University recognizes academic advising to be a critical component of the educational experience. Successful advising includes providing the necessary tools and information regarding educational and career plans compatible with student goals; meeting institutional and degree requirements; and preparing for a life of change, challenge and individual fulfillment as active citizens. The purpose of this award is to encourage and recognize an academic advisor who demonstrates a pattern of excellence in academic advising.

• One person will be awarded a designated campus parking spot which will be chosen in the spring semester (following the same timeline as the other Foundation awards)
• Nominations can be submitted by a faculty, department chair, staff, supervisor, or administrator
• No self-nominations are allowed
• This award is separate from the Shout-Out Awards. However, Shout-Out Award winners may also be nominated for the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award
• Previous Outstanding Academic Advisor Award winners may be nominated if a minimum of five years has passed since receiving the original award

Eligibility:

• Any individual serving as an academic advisor or faculty academic advisor and employed by Missouri Western may be nominated
• Nominees must have a minimum of three academic years of academic advising at Missouri Western at the time of submission

Award criteria – The Academic Advising Council will evaluate nominations based on the evidence of qualities and practices that distinguish the nominee as an outstanding academic advisor or faculty advisor. Nominations should provide evidence that advisor demonstrates Best Practices in Advising, going beyond minimum departmental expectations for advisement. Examples of outstanding advising may include:

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Master of institutional regulations, policies and procedures
• Availability to advisees, faculty or staff
• Ability to engage in, promote and support developmental advising
• Frequency of contact with advisees
• Evidence of advising in an academic advising program that supports NACADA’s Core Values
• Appropriate referral activity
• Evidence that the advisor demonstrates the standards of good practice as described in the CAS Standards for Academic Advising Programs
• Use and dissemination of appropriate information sources
• Participation in and support of advisor development activities
• Evidence of student success rate, by advisor or department
• Perception of colleagues of nominee’s advising skills
• Caring, helpful attitude toward advisees, faculty and staff
• Meeting advisees in informal settings
• Participation in and support of intrusive advising to build strong relationships with advisees
• Monitoring of student progress toward academic and career goals as evidenced by clear, detailed, and timely notes in GPS

Process:

• Email required supporting documentation to advisor@missouriwestern.edu by Wednesday, April 5, 2024.
• Nominators should include their title and department with their nomination.
• The nomination should contain adequate factual or narrative material that describes the extent to which an individual meets the award criteria; the narrative should contain no more than three pages and should be submitted in PDF format.
• The nomination should include no more than three reference letters from students, faculty, department Chairs, staff, supervisors, or administrators and should also be submitted in PDF format.
• Award nominations must be endorsed by department Chairs (or Academic Dean if a Chair is nominated) or through a professional advisor’s or a staff advisor’s supervisor.
• Selection of this award will be made by the members of the Academic Advising Council.
• Winner will be nominated for the MACADA (Missouri Academic Advising Association) Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (restrictions apply).
• The award recipient will be recognized at the annual campus awards ceremony. The recipient will receive a designated campus parking space for the next year (August-July) sponsored by the Student Success & Academic Advising Center.