November 4, 2019

Jade Barricelli Spirit of Academic Advising Excellence Award

During her time as an academic advisor at George Mason University, Jade Barricelli continually demonstrated the qualities that have been identified by MAAN as the ideal characteristics of an advisor.

Those qualities included:

  • Possessing strong interpersonal skills
  • Using and disseminating information about appropriate student support services
  • Monitoring student progress toward academic and career goals
  • Engaging in developmental academic advising (which includes career and life planning)
  • Exhibiting a mastery of institutional regulations, policies and procedures
  • Demonstrating a caring, helpful attitude toward advisees, faculty, and staff
  • Supporting academic advising colleagues by being dependable and available
  • Attending and supporting advisor development programs, such as the Mason Advisor Certificate or other academic advising initiatives
  • Adding to the visibility and role of MAAN as an essential resource to the University
  • Openly communicating and collaborating with students, faculty, and staff in support of MAAN’s Mission and Vision

In 2012, Jade acted on her vision of what academic advising could be at George Mason University by presenting a proposal for what would become the Mason Academic Advisor Network (MAAN). She identified key allies from across the University who had the same drive, determination, and vision to elevate the standing of academic advising at Mason and improve the student experience. One of the first initiatives Jade started planning was the Mason Advisor Certificate, a multi-module training program, which today is regarded as a must for training new advisors by a majority of the departments at Mason. During this time Jade also wrote a proposal that would bring the NACADA Virginia Drive-In Conference to Mason for the very first time.

MAAN continues to play an integral role in University-wide policy development and creating new initiatives that seek to build an even stronger and more supportive academic advising experience for all those who consider themselves to be a Patriot.

This peer-nominated academic advising award was developed as a way to recognize and honor our colleague’s devotion to creating a culture of academic advising excellence at Mason.

Eligibility

Any Mason employee with responsibility for academic advising undergraduate and/or graduate students (includes Graduate Assistants). Previous winners are not eligible for 5 years after receipt of the award.

Nomination Process

Nominations are accepted annually each fall semester. The nominations will be reviewed by a committee. The selected winner will be announced and celebrated through MAAN in the fall and again during HR’s Outstanding Achievement Awards Ceremony in spring.

  • The deadline for nominations for Fall 2023 is Tuesday, November 21.
  • Nominations after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • All nominations must be submitted through the nomination form, no supplemental documents will be accepted to provide fairness in the nomination process.
  • Each nominator is required to submit their own nomination. Combined nominations will not be considered more than one nomination.
  • Nominators are encouraged to extensively address how the person has contributed to the above criteria and not assume the reviewers know who the person is.

Award Recipients:

Ashley Hill, 2022 Spirit of Academic Advising Award Recipient, Senior Academic Advisor, Costello College of Business

Photo of Dr. Deborah Polayes

Dr. Deborah Poyales, 2021 Spirit of Academic Advising Award Recipient, Director of Undergraduate Studies Professor, Biology Department

Smriti Kansal Patwardhan, 2020 Spirit of Academic Advising Award Recipient, Academic Advisor, Electrical and Computer Engineering.


Jon May, 2019 Spirit of Academic Advising Award Recipient, Associate Director, Center for Academic Advising, Retention, and Transitions. Award presented by Dean, Dr. Jeannie Brown Leonard.

Assad Khan, 2018 Spirit of Academic Advising Award Recipient, Director for Undergraduate Student Affairs, College of Science, being congratulated by Jon May, Associate Director, Center for Academic Advising, Retention, and Transitions, during the 2018 Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Erin McSherry, 2017 Spirit of Academic Advising Award Recipient, Director of Undergraduate Advising and Retention, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, poses with President Angel Cabrera during the 2017 Outstanding Achievement Awards. Elizabeth Kalinowski Ohrt, Director, Advising, Undergraduate Academic Affairs, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, inaugural winner of the Jade Barricelli Spirit of Academic Advising Excellence Award, poses with President Angel Cabrera during the 2016 Outstanding Achievement Awards.