Mason Advisor Awards and Recognition

2022 Award Recipients

V. Ann Lewis Academic Advisor
of the Year Award
Patriot Inspiration Award Unsung Hero Award
Tiffany Sandstrum holding the award for Academic Advisor of the Year Sara Montiel holding the award for Patriot Inspiration Jasmyne Rogers holding the award for Unsung Hero
Tiffany Sandstrum
Academic Advisor, Kinesiology
College of Education and
Human Development
Sara Montiel
Associate Director of
Student Services
School of Integrative Studies
Jasmyne Rogers
Associate Director of Student
Support and Retention
Honors College
Academic Advisor of the Year top 10. Seven are pictured holding their Certificates of Excellence
AAOY 2022 Top Ten. Pictured L-R: Marty Abruzzo, Krystal Dains, Claudia Borke, Ann Ludwick, Valerie Bartush, Matthew Green, Robert Yi. Not pictured: Mike Hurley, Jane Walker, Mary Getsey Bernier.

AAOY Results Infographic for 2022

The V. Ann Lewis Academic Advisor of the Year Award

Academic advisors are a vital part of student success. Students have an opportunity each year to nominate an undergraduate academic advisor who has had a positive impact on students. The purpose of this award is to recognize excellence in advising across the Mason community. In 2020, the Academic Advisor of the Year (AAOY) award was named after V. Ann Lewis in recognition of Ann’s impact on the academic advising community during her 23 years at Mason. This award was very dear to Ann, and she took several steps to ensure the award would live on after she retired from Mason. Nominations are accepted annually during the beginning of the Spring semester.

The recipient of this award will embody the following characteristics & skills:

  • Creates an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students
  • Demonstrates a caring, helpful attitude toward students
  • Provides accurate information regarding university academic requirements
  • Makes themselves available to students, faculty, and staff
  • Makes appropriate referrals
  • Has knowledge of George Mason University regulations, policies, and procedures
  • Supports student development through advising

Patriot Inspiration Award

This award recognizes a member of the Mason academic advising community who demonstrates an exceptional commitment to, understanding of, and application of effective diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in their academic advising of students. ​

Unsung Hero Award

This award recognizes a member of the Mason academic advising community who demonstrates strong advocacy for students within an academic unit or the university. This advisor is committed to a “student-first” perspective in academic advising practice by going above and beyond to advocate for students or students in a particular population. ​​

Rules and Regulations:

Purpose: The Academic Advisor Awards are to promote and acknowledge excellence in undergraduate academic advising at George Mason University.

Eligibility: To be eligible to win an Academic Advisor Award, you must be a full or part time faculty or staff member who has undergraduate academic advising responsibilities as part of your job description. Peer and graduate advisors are not eligible. Past recipients of the Academic Advisor of the Year Award are not eligible to win the award again for five years from the date it was last awarded.

Selection Process: A committee will be formed consisting of OAA and MAAN leadership as well as a previous award winner who is ineligible for this year’s award. Decisions will be based on the quality and quantity of the nominations. The committee will choose their top 3 candidates and eligibility will then be verified. If the top candidate is not eligible to win, the committee will move on to their second choice and so on. The winner will then be notified. The award will be presented at the annual Academic Advising Awards Ceremony at the end of April or beginning of May.

Additional Awards and Opportunities for Recognition

The Jade Barricelli Spirit of Academic Advising Excellence Award (Sponsored by MAAN)

NACADA Region 2 Awards and Scholarships

NACADA Global Awards

GMU HR Reward and Recognition