Becky Houck Award for Excellent Advising

To emphasize the importance of advising in the College of Arts and Sciences and to honor exceptional undergraduate advisors, the Dean's office has established the Becky Houck Award for Excellent Advising, named for a distinguished professor of biology, who is revered for her commitment to mentoring and developing the potential of students. Recipients of this award demonstrate the following characteristics of excellent advising:

• Helping students to identify their academic, professional, and personal goals and to discern how these relate to the choice of a major and an academic program;

• Explaining the rationale of the student's major and of the Core program at the University of Portland;

• Helping students plan their courses and their schedule in a way that is consistent with their educational goals, abilities, and aspirations and assists them with registration;

• Monitoring academic progress and clarifying academic requirements, policies and procedures;

• Identifying special needs of students or potential difficulties and recommending appropriate assistance to them from providers at the University or opportunities for development through co-curricular programs;

• Informing students about career paths for the major and about programs that prepare students for post-University life offered by Career Services and by the student's department;

• Alerting students to special awards for which they may qualify, mentoring students about graduate or professional school, and providing effective letters of recommendation.

Nomination Procedures

Past Winners

2019 Alexandra Hill, International Languages & Cultures
2018 Anissa Rogers, Sociology & Social Work
2017 Katie O'Reilly, Biology
2016 Martin Monto, Sociology & Social Work
2015 Trudie Booth, International Languages & Cultures
2014 Susan Baillet, Psychological Sciences
2013 David Alexander, Biology
2012 Elayne Shapiro, Communication Studies
2011 Laura McLary, International Languages & Cultures
2010 Gary Malecha, Political Science
2009 Becky Houck, Biology