Carla Harrell Wins Regional Advising Award
By Dashané James
Carla Harrell, master lecturer and chief departmental advisor of Old Dominion University's Department of Communication & Theatre Arts, has won the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Region 2 Excellence in Advising Faculty Advisor Award.
Last semester, Harrell was selected as the University's 2018-19 Excellence in Advising Faculty Advisor winner. She was then nominated for a NACADA Region 2 award. "Being nominated by my peers means so much to me. They know what it's like to do our job. Having their support is just as gratifying as receiving the award itself," Harrell said.
Harrell became chief departmental advisor in Communication & Theatre Arts in 2006 and completed the Master Advisor Certification program in 2010. The program houses close to 900 majors and more than 100 minors. As an advisor of 400 majors, Harrell gets a sense of fulfillment from meeting her students early in their college career and watching them walk across the stage at graduation. She says, "The best thing to do as an advisor is to invest in each student. Connect with them and use what the university offers to make the most unique, fulfilling experience for the student."
The University realizes how impactful the role of an advisor can be in a student's college career and it shows. ODU advisors have received several NACADA awards in the past. At last year's conference, Old Dominion representatives gave a presentation on their approach and successes. "Our advisors winning a NACADA Award promotes our advising programs. Being recognized on a global scale shows that ODU is a leader in academic advising," said Sandra Waters, executive director of the University's Center for Advising Administration and Academic Partnerships.
Two other Old Dominion administrators received recognition from NACADA. Trey Mayo, director of advising with the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies' Career and Advising Resource Center, won the NACADA Region 2 Excellence in Advising Administration award. Nnamdi Small, student success director with the Office of Distance Learning/ODU Online, won a certificate of merit for Best New Adviser. Region 2 includes universities and colleges in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Harrell will receive the award next month at the NACADA Region 2 Annual Conference in Atlantic City, N.J. in March. As recipients of the regional award, Harrell, Mayo and Small will be nominated for a NACADA Global Award in their respective categories.