COS Advisor Accomplishments
College of Science academic advisors at a retreat in September 2023
The College of Science is proud to showcase the accomplishments of our esteemed academic advisors. Our academic advisors have been receipients of global and regional awards, scholarships, presenters at various conferences, and more.
- AAI Advisor of the Month
- Awards
- Global Education International Site Visit
- Grants/Scholarships
- Presentations
- Publications
The Advisor of the Month program is run by the Academic Advising Initiatives Office at Virginia Tech. The goal of the program is to recognize outstanding academic and career advisors. Recognition is based on evidence of qualities and practices that distinguish the nominee as an outstanding academic or career advisor to include:
- Quality of information and advice
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
- Implementation of a "support and challenge" environment
- Accessibility
| Month & Year | Advisor | College of Science Unit |
| December 2024 | Taylor Swan | College of Science, Embedded in Psychology |
| September 2024 | Jessica Hurdus | Mathematics |
| July 2024 | Vivek Shastry | College of Science Dean's Office |
| April 2024 | April Newcomer | Geosciences |
| February 2024 | Dr. Deanna Flora | College of Science, Embedded in Academy of Data Science |
| December 2023 | Grace Burden | College of Science, Embedded in Biological Sciences |
| September 2023 | Peter Osebre | College of Science, Embedded in Biological Sciences |
| August 2023 | Scott Whitehead | College of Science, Embedded in Academy of Data Science |
| July 2023 | Rebekah DeToma | College of Science, Embedded in Biological Sciences |
| June 2023 | Amy Kokkinakos | Chemistry |
| March 2023 | Emily Vedder | School of Neuroscience |
| October 2022 | Courtney Glass | Psychology |
| September 2022 | Haley Tucker | School of Neuroscience |
| April 2022 | Dr. Michael Rosenzweig | Biological Sciences |
| June 2021 | Dr. Jack Evans | Biological Sciences |
| February 2021 | Charlotte Parks | Academy of Integrated Science |
| July 2020 | April Newcomer | Geosciences |
| May 2020 | Brandy Hayden | Statistics |
| February 2020 | Carrie Hopkins | Academy of Integrated Science |
| September 2019 | Dr. Richard Walker | Biological Sciences |
| January 2019 | Sarah Bechtel | School of Neuroscience |
| November 2018 | Cara Conley | Academy of Integrated Science |
| March 2018 | Christina Minford | Psychology |
| January 2018 | Annie Laib | School of Neuroscience |
| August 2017 | Erika Perdue |
Economics |
| Year | Advisor | College of Science Unit | Award Type |
| 2024 | Taylor Swan | College of Science, Embedded in Psychology | ACPA Graduate Student and New Professional Community of Practice - Outstanding Dedication to Professional Service Award |
| 2023-2024 | Jessica Hurdus | Mathematics | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advising Award |
| 2024 | Christina Minford | Psychology | Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising |
| 2024 | Rebekah DeToma | College of Science, Embedded in Biological Sciences | NACADA Region 2 - Excellence in Advising (New Advisor) - Winner |
| 2023 | Grace Burden | College of Science, Embedded in Biological Sciences |
NACADA Region 2 - Excellence in Advising (New Advisor) - Certificate of Merit |
| 2022 | Dr. Fanny Jasso-Hernandez | Mathematics | College of Science Diversity Award |
| 2022 | Melanie Sontheimer | College of Science Dean's Office | College of Science Outstanding Staff Award |
| 2022 | Dr. Eric Ufferman | Mathematics | College of Science Certificate of Teaching Excellence |
| 2020 | Sarah Bechtel | School of Neuroscience | NACADA Region 2 - Excellence in Advising (New Advisor) - Certificate of Merit |
| 2017 | Dr. Gordon Yee | Chemistry | NACADA Global - Outstanding Advising Award (Faculty Academic Advising) - Winner |
| 2022-2023 | Dr. Timothy Saarinen | Chemistry | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (Faculty Advisor) |
| 2022-2023 | Emily Vedder | School of Neuroscience | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (Professional Advisor) |
| 2021-2022 | Dr. Gordon Yee | Chemistry | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (Faculty Advisor) |
| 2021-2022 | April Newcomer | Geosciences | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (Professional Advisor) |
| 2020-2021 | Dr. Kurt Hoffman | Psychology | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (Faculty Advisor) |
| 2020-2021 | Brandy Hayden | Statistics | College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award (Professional Advisor) |
| 2017 | Dr. Gordon Yee | Chemistry | Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising |
| 2011 | Dr. Jack Evans | Biological Sciences | Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising |
| 2008 | Connie Lowe | Geosciences | Provost Award for Excellence in Advising |
| 2004 | Dr. Jack Cranford | Biological Sciences | Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising |
| 2001 | Dr. Sheryl Ball | College of Science |
Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising |
The International Site Visit Grant is run by the Global Education Office (GEO) and provides funding for one faculty or academic advisor to join a GEO representative on a site visit to a current or prospective partner university. One grant award is available each semester.
The purpose of this grant is to provide funding to one faculty or academic adviser interested in strengthening partnership activities with a current or new Virginia Tech exchange partner (see full list of partners here) through collaborations aimed at increasing student participation in the partnership. The proposed site visit should be strategically framed within a college or department’s established plan for internationalization.
Funding is available to include faculty who hold the rank of tenure track, A/P, collegiate, or long-term lecturers. Professional academic advisers are also eligible as long as the adviser is involved in curricular evaluation and development and/or transfer credit recommendations within the academic department.
| Semester | Advisor | International Location | College of Science Unit |
| Spring 2023 | Sarah Bechtel | United Kingdom | College of Science Dean's Office |
The Professional Development Grant program is run by the Academic Advising Initiatives Office at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech makes intentional efforts to support the professional development of its advisors by providing funds to support the development of faculty, professional, and staff advisors who serve undergraduate students in an advising capacity.
| Year | Advisor | College of Science Unit |
| 2023 | Christina Minford | Psychology |
| 2023 | Emily Vedder | School of Neuroscience |
| 2020 | Vivek Shastry | College of Science Dean's Office |
| 2018 | April Newcomer | Geosciences |
| 2018 | Sarah Bechtel | School of Neuroscience |
| 2018 | Annie Laib | School of Neuroscience |
| 2018 | Elaine Lewis | Biological Sciences |
| Year | Advisor | College of Science Unit | Scholarship |
| 2024 | Dr. Fanny Jasso-Hernandez and Jessica Schmale | Mathematics | College of Science Diversity Fellows Grant |
| Year | Advisor | College of Science Unit | Scholarship |
| 2023 | Sarah Bechtel | College of Science Dean's Office | Wesley R. Habley Summer Institute |
| Month & Year | Presenter Name(s) | Presentation Title | Presented at |
| October 2024 | Dr. Donna Faltin, Dr. Deanna Flora | Laying the Foundation for First-Year Success: Enhancing Student Engagement from Day one | NACADA Annual |
| April 2024 | Grace Burden | Eight Dimensions of Wellness: A Holistic Approach to Wellness Lifestyle | NACADA Region 2 |
| April 2024 | Grace Burden, Melissa Cumbia | Finding Your Next Step Towards Self Care: Self-Care Planning for Advisors | NACADA Region 2 |
| April 2024 | Caitlin Cook | Study Abroad as a High-Impact Practice: The Academic Advisor's Role | NACADA Region 2 |
| April 2024 | Rebekah DeToma | Should I Stay or Should I Go: Conversations With Students Who Are Debating to Transfer | NACADA Region 2 |
| April 2024 | Emily Vedder | It's Me, Hi, I'm the Problem, It's Me: Helping Advisors & Administrators Overcome Imposter Syndrome | NACADA Region 2 |
| March 2024 | Rebekah DeToma | Should I Stay or Should I Go: Conversations With Students Who Are Debating to Transfer | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2024 | Dr. Donna Faltin, Dr. Deanna Flora | Creating a Sense of Belonging: Engaging Students in the Performance Improvement Process | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2024 | Dr. Fanny Jasso Hernandez, Jessica Hurdus, Sadie Powell, Jessica Schmale | Circle of Support for College Mathematics | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2024 | Brandy Respess, Carolyn Ballard, Heath Furrow, Kayla Goodwin, Dana McGuire | A Community Approach to Professional Development | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| September 2023 | Grace Burden | Making Your Advising Team Magical & Leveraging Your Multigenerational Workforce |
NACADA Annual |
| June 2023 | Grace Burden, Emily Vedder | Financial Literacy: Steering Advisors & Students Towards an Understanding of Higher Education Costs | NACADA Virginia State Drive-In |
| June 2023 | Caitlin Cook |
Study Abroad as a High-Impact Practice: The Academic Advisor's Role *Voted best presentation of Drive-In |
NACADA Virginia State Drive-In |
| June 2023 | Rebekah DeToma | Learning Communities and What They Can Do for Students | NACADA Virginia State Drive-In |
| June 2023 | Sarah Bechtel, Vivek Shastry | Change for the Better: Embedding Centrally Trained Advisors into Departments | NACADA Virginia State Drive-In |
| June 2023 | Sarah Bechtel, Dr. Zack Underwood | Getting Involved with NACADA | NACADA Virginia State Drive-In |
| March 2023 | Sarah Bechtel, Grace Burden | Spilling the Tea on Gen Z: How Advisors can Prepare their Students for the Workforce | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2023 | Christina Minford, Taylor Swan | Confused to Confident: Crushing Career-Related Conversations | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2023 | Emily Vedder | Leading Generation Z Towards Academic Independence and Confidence in Decision Making | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| February 2023 | Christina Minford, Sherry Anton, Kendria Mason | Embedding Strategic Campus Partner Support into your FYE Program | First-Year Experience Conference |
| March 2022 | Sarah Bechtel | Advisor-Teach-Advisor Model: Navigating Advising Student Populations Together | NACADA Region 2 |
| March 2022 | Sarah Bechtel, Vivek Shastry, Melanie Sontheimer | Change for the Better: Embedding Centrally Trained Advisors into Departments |
Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2022 | Courtney Glass, Christina Minford |
Reading Your Email Could be a Full-Time Job. Communicating Efficiently with a Large Advising Caseload | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2021 | Sarah Bechtel, Julie Pence | Leadership in Advising: Flexing to Meet Students' Needs Virtually | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2020 | Sarah Bechtel, Mohammad Sabbagh | The Answer for Transfer Students: Reducing Culture Shock | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2020 | Dr. Donna Faltin | A Strength Based Approach to Advising and Coaching First Generation Students Navigating a Plan "B" |
Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2020 | Rachel Morgante-Richmeier, Seth Schroeder | Navigating Mental Health: The Academic Advisor First Aid | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2019 | Sarah Bechtel, Annie Laib Jenkins | Document What You Do: Develop an Advising Manual for You! | NACADA Region 2 |
| March 2019 | Sarah Bechtel, Annie Laib Jenkins | Building Belonging: Easing Transition through Partnerships between Advisors, Current Students, and New Students | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| March 2018 | Sarah Bechtel, Annie Laib Jenkins | Outside of the Box, Inside the Checkbox: Experiential Learning within the Curriculum | Virginia Tech Advising Matters |
| Advisor | Year | Publication(s) |
| Taylor Swan | 2024 | Contributed to Chapters 2, 3, and 5 in Hussey, Tim. The Black Professional Guide to College Student Affairs. Routledge, 2024. |
| Vivek Shastry | 2019 | Shastry, Vivek. “What a Comprehensive Academic Advising Website Can Do for Faculty Advisors and Students.” Academic Impressions, 24 July 2019, www.academicimpressions.com/blog/faculty-advisors-advising-website/ |