National Academic Advising Association recognizes two faculty members for outstanding advising

13 May 2013

The National Academic Advising Association awarded two Virginia Tech faculty members with Outstanding Advising Awards.

Andrew Becker, associate professor of ancient Greek, Latin, and classical studies and associate chair in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was named winner of the Outstanding Advisor Award – Faculty Academic Advising.

Elaine Matuszek, associate director of academic advising and orientation in University Academic Advising Center, received a Certificate of Merit of the Outstanding Advising Award – Primary Advising Role.

The organization’s annual awards program honors individuals and institutions that are making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising.

“Andrew and Elaine consistently support our students through clear and effective advising practices,” said Kimberly Smith, director of university studies and undergraduate advising. “Students under their wing have a driving force to navigate them through the undergraduate process to go onto competitive graduate programs or careers.”

All awards will be presented at the 2013 National Academic Advising Association Annual Conference being held Oct. 6 through 9, 2013, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The National Academic Advising Association has more than 10,000 members representing all 50 states and several countries outside the United States.

Andrew Becker

Becker joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1988. Most recently, he received the 2013 Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising. Becker works with more than 340 students with majors in the department, and an additional 800 students with minors in the department.

Beyond advising, Becker has been recognized for his excellence in teaching with three Certificates of Teaching Excellence, the Edward S. Diggs Teaching Scholars Award, the William E. Wine Award, and the college’s Award for Excellence in International Initiatives (co-winner), and he was invited to appear on a panel for the Advising Matters conference last year.

Becker received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Cambridge University, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Elaine Matuszek

Matuszek most recently received Virginia Tech’s 2013 Provost Award for Excellence in Advising.

She has more than 23 years of experience advising students with undeclared majors at the university, advising approximately 150 students each semester. Matuszek also manages the summer orientation program for University Studies majors, which brings in more than 1,400 students each summer. Through the rest of the academic year, Matuszek teaches Hokie Horizons, a first-year experience course for University Studies majors.

Matuszek earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Indiana University.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.