Excellence in Advising

Lisa Emery has been advising students in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences for the past 18 years. Throughout this time, she has advised hundreds of students on not only degree completion but also Tennessee teacher licensure. Whether she is dealing with an 18-year-old freshman interested in becoming a teacher, or a 20-year teaching veteran looking to change fields, Emery is always “on”—giving accurate information in a professional manner.

 

Dr. Laura L. Howes, director of undergraduate studies in English, excels as an advisor. Her extraordinary listening skills enable her to treat each student as an individual with individual needs, rather than just putting together a class list for the next semester. She developed “English Advising Week,” which replaced impersonal group advising. As part of English Advising Week, she encouraged faculty to schedule extra office hours and publicized events through the student e-newsletter, resulting in more students being aware of advising.

 

Dr. Thomas Scott, associate professor in nuclear engineering, has an advising focus on the engineering freshman class. In his office, the course requirements for the engineering curriculum are posted with the word “persevere” in the center. He encourages students to do just that—a must when beginning such demanding and complex studies. Dr. Scott does not stop encouraging students after their freshman years; he stays in touch, realizing that it is never easy to be a student, and that every advisee is different.