February 6, 2009
Two academic advisers honored by professional group
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Mark Diekman and Tiffany Mousel received the annual awards of the Purdue Academic Advising Association (PACADA).
The award committee chair, Marcy Helms, noted that awardees' names are added to a plaque in the Office of the Dean of Students. Helms also introduced the presenters, who both are recent winners.
Outstanding Advisor: Mark Diekman, animal sciences. Diekman is a professor who has taken on leadership of advising in his nearly 25 years at Purdue.
The presenter of his award, Lee Ann Williams, said, "He currently coordinates the advising of 600 students among 21 faculty advisors and advises 150 students himself."
Diekman also chairs the teaching committee in his department and teaches two undergraduate courses, Orientation to Animal Sciences and Reproductive Physiology. He is on the College of Agriculture Scholarship Coordinators Committee, and he has served as faculty advisor for Chauncey Cooperative since 1986.
His nominator wrote, "He is truly remarkable on how he puts the students at ease when they pop in his office with a problem or concern. He is an excellent moderator in the process of helping a student make a decision. He also emphasizes that availability and an open door is a must."
In accepting the award, Diekman singled out two people among those he would thank — Marlene Miller, the department's undergraduate programs secretary; and Allan Goecker, assistant dean and associate director of academic programs in the College of Agriculture.
Later, Diekman said he has coordinated advising for his department since 1995 and likes the vantage point it provides.
"You really get to know every student that goes through the department," he said. "We graduate about 100 students a year."
He also works closely with professors on a variety of subjects including credit transfers and course substitutions.
"I try to keep the advisors up on the rules, and the switch to Banner this year has created some particular needs," he said.
In these ways, he said, part of his job is to ensure accuracy and consistency in the information being shared.
Outstanding New Professional: Tiffany Mousel, pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. As presenter, Betsy Thompson said Mousel has had a significant early influence on the advising staff of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Mousel has used respect, care, knowledge and availability to earn the trust of current and prospective students, Thompson said. She is well-organized and active in learning more through involvement in PACADA and the University.
In PACADA, she is chairing the New Advisor Welcoming Subcommittee, is co-chairing the advising syllabus subcommittee and is an active member of the Campus Affairs Committee.
Mousel said later that among her other campus involvements, she is a Faculty Fellow for the pre-pharmacy learning community.
"It makes me more accessible and helps build relationships," she said.
In receiving the award, she started brief remarks by thanking her colleagues, then interrupted herself to say, "… and I see my parents." They had come from Nebraska to surprise her on this occasion. Mousel has a master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and likes her field of work.
"It's exciting to see students go through the first adjustments, struggle and succeed," she said. "College can be a scary place. It's rewarding to be able to be there for them."
Mousel's nominators wrote of competency, courage, a can-do attitude and warmth. One remarked on how she came to her first job out of school and had "a dramatic impact."
Another wrote, "She is not the type of person who waits for suggestions regarding new opportunities to make our program better; she seeks out new opportunities and leads implementation efforts."
A student wrote about how Mousel's caring and professional presence creates comfort and confidence to discuss issues, and added, "I can't tell you a better solution for an overwhelmed freshman than having an academic advisor like her."