Jill Geisler Wheeler Wins Academic Advising Council's Sage Advisor Award

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Jill Geisler Wheeler

Jill Geisler Wheeler, associate director of honors studies for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded the 2021 Sage Advisor Award by U of A's Academic Advising Council (AAC).

The AAC's Sage Advisor Award honors an individual who provides formal and/or informal mentoring to other academic advisors and colleagues. This individual exemplifies a commitment to helping and guidance of others.

Wheeler's nomination packet described her as a "cherished colleague" who "stands out as someone whose experience, insight, and knowledge are integral in the advising relationships others cultivate with their students."

She is involved at the University of Arkansas and at the state and national levels through the Arkansas Academic Advising Network (ArkANN) and NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising.

Wheeler also recently cohosted a training session for advisors on becoming more involved at the local, state, regional, or national level and how to be leaders within the field.

In her own words, Wheeler describes her passion for advising and working with students:

What do you like best about working with students?

That is an easy one for me, the students themselves! I love getting to know them, their dreams and career goals and how I can, in a small way, help them get there!

What is something working with students has taught you about being an advisor?

That there is hope for a better future! With all the craziness in the world, even outside a pandemic, I am reassured that the humanity will be superior position than when it was when they entered in the world.

And an added bonus is that I get to know all the trends in fashion even if I choose to completely ignore them for my skinny jeans and side part!

Any words of advice or helpful tips for other advisors on this campus?

Never stop asking yourself why you are doing this work and why it's important.

You are a lifeline to so many students and without you they would be lost. This is important work and what you do matters!