Academic Advising Award page photo

The Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award annually recognizes a faculty member at UVM who has achieved displaying and enacting responsiveness, availability, concern, respect, depth of knowledge and excellence in undergraduate academic advising. This Award is a collaboration of the Office of the Provost, the Student Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate, and the Student Government Association. The Award recipient will receive a taxable cash award of $1,000. Recipients will be listed in a display in Waterman in recognition of their outstanding contributions as academic faculty advisors to undergraduate students.

The AY 2022-2023 award recipient is:


• Professor Luis Vivanco, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences
Luis Vivanco is a renowned scholar with dozens of publications including peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, reviews, and essays to his credit. His skill in making lessons come alive for students in the classroom was recognized in 2012 when he received the UVM Alumni Association’s George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award. In the corridors of the anthropology department in Williams Hall, he is also known for his deep engagement with undergraduates. In the words of one former student, Vivanco “has an incredible ability to connect with his students, and I leave every advising session feeling inspired. He makes things seem possible; he opens opportunities where you thought there was a dead end.”

Eligibility/Criteria

Any full-time UVM faculty member engaged in undergraduate advising is eligible for the award.

The evidence must demonstrate the nominee’s performance is excellent in all or most or the following areas:

  • Helps students to understand academic requirements, policies and practices
  • Helps students clarify their goals and direction
  • Helps students make informed decisions
  • Helps students plan for life after graduation
  • Makes students aware of opportunities for academic and personal growth and development
  • Helps students create and make use of formal and informal networks throughout the University
  • Helps students realize their maximum educational potential
  • Connects students with on-campus resources and support services as appropriate
  • Displays responsiveness, availability, concern, respect and depth of knowledge
  • Strives for continuous improvement as an advisor

Nomination Process

Any student, faculty or staff member at the University of Vermont may nominate an advisor. The primary nomination must be endorsed by three other individuals who have direct knowledge of the candidate’s performance as an academic advisor:

  • The faculty member’s department chair or other direct supervisor;
  • A current student; and
  • At least one other individual (student, staff, faculty, alumni).

The primary nominator is responsible for soliciting the additional endorsements.

UVM faculty nominated for The Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award will be asked for a personal statement on their philosophy, approach to and methods for academic advising.

Nomination material should be submitted with the "Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award Nomination” as the file name no later than 11:59 PM on February 1st.

SUBMIT A NOMINATION HERE

Award Committee

Nominations will be vetted by a special committee composed of two members of the Senate Student Affairs Committee, two undergraduate students appointed by the Student Government Association, the previous year's recipient and chaired by a Faculty Senate Representative. The Committee may choose to conduct interviews with the strongest nominees and will develop a short list of finalists with recommendations to the Office of the Provost for approval. The final decision for the award will rest with the Provost.

Award Review Committee

Review Committee Chair: Scott Van Keuren, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences

Review Committee Members:

  1. Matthew Carlson, Professor, Department of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences
  2. Alison Brody, Professor, Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences; a recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award and 1998 Assistant Professor Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award 
  3. Isra (Izzie) Khan, First-Year Student; Senator, SGA Club Affairs Committee
  4. Raemi Charles, Junior Year Student; Senator, SGA Committee on the Environment
  5. Jennifer Dickinson, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Student Success; Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences (ex-officio committee member)

Selection Timeline

  • December 1, annually:  Call for nominations opens.
  • February 1, annually:  Nominations due.
  • February 1 - March 30: Nomination reviewed by Awards Committee.
  • April 1 - Awards Committee submits list of finalists to the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Jokech@uvm.edu. Copy submissions to Jennifer Diaz (she/her) at Jennifer.Diaz@uvm.edu.
  • May 1 - The Provost announces award recipient.

For more information
Contact Jennifer Diaz (she/her) at Jennifer.Diaz@uvm.edu

Prior Award Recipients