Academic advisor Jennifer Farran is one of four winners of the 2017 Outstanding New Advisor Award Winner from NACADA, the Global Community for Academic Advising.
The award recognizes outstanding academic advising of students by individuals who have served as an advisor for three years or less.
This is not Farran’s first award in this position. She won the Dr. Judith Sindlinger Outstanding New Advisor award at UCF in December. She also served as UCF’s nominee for the NACADA region and national outstanding new advisor awards. Farran was awarded the Certificate of Merit for Region 4 and named the winner for the national level, as well.
“On a continuous basis, she impresses me with her ability to work with, and meet the needs of, the large student population, as well as her ability to provide individual support to every student she serves,” said Suha M. Saleh, program director and assistant professor for the Health Sciences Program.
Farran began her UCF career working as an office assistant in the Physical Therapy Program in 2013 before transferring to the Health Sciences Program as a coordinator for academic advising services in 2014.
“Every day is completely different with all these different students coming through,” she said. “I really enjoy working here and I go to school here, too. UCF really is my second home.”
With more than 3,600 students in health sciences – the second largest major at UCF – Farran is kept busy assisting students with schedule planning, orientation, and other topics and concerns within the program.
“On many days, she sees 12 students with appointments and perhaps another dozen or more during walk-in hours,” said Kristen Schellhase, chair department of health professions.
During the fall 2015 semester, Farran was the only advisor working in the office, but she remained committed to her focus on her students.
“The impact of Jennifer’s contribution to student success in the Health Sciences Program stemmed from her ability to meet the students’ needs in terms of providing academic advising, as well as initiating new projects to improve their experience in their major and at UCF,” Saleh said.
It was a very humbling and exciting moment to be announced as one of four winners out of 39 nominations, Farran said. The awards ceremony will take place Oct. 11 at the NACADA annual conference in St. Louis.