Sharon Mueller, the assistant dean of advising in the College of Letters & Science, has announced her retirement after 35 years in the UC Berkeley advising community. Mueller first ventured into the world of undergraduate advising when she applied for a student position with the College of Chemistry Undergraduate Advising Office in 1991, and she sees her current position as “the culmination of [her] career,” saying, “It seemed that every role I had on campus led me to this one,” making her retirement from the position a fitting journey’s end.
“I had worked in advising at Berkeley for 32 years, but never in L&S, which was where I earned my B.A. as a transfer, re-entry student more than three decades earlier,” Mueller said of her decision to take on the role of the inaugural assistant dean of advising in 2023. “When I was admitted to Berkeley L&S back in 1990, I was given the opportunity to turn my life around after living in a car for almost a year, and by pursuing this role I hoped that I could give back to the community that gave so much to me.”
A respected leader in the Berkeley advising community, Mueller’s influence and contributions will continue to be felt long after her retirement this June.
A new direction for L&S Advising
“Sharon’s leadership has had a meaningful impact on the L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising during a period of growth and transition,” said Associate Director of Advising and Student Success Isela Peña-Rager, Ed.D. “As the inaugural Assistant Dean of Advising, she brought a strong sense of structure, decisiveness, and accountability, while also remaining open to learning the culture and complexity of our organization, the largest academic advising office on campus. That combination helped move our work forward in important ways.”
Mueller’s entry to the College of Letters & Science Office of Undergraduate Advising (L&S OUA) was an inflection point for L&S student services, and in her tenure, she has ushered in meaningful, structural change for both L&S advising professionals and the undergraduate students they serve.
In the announcement of her appointment, L&S Executive Dean Jennifer Johnson-Hanks highlighted her commitment to student success at Berkeley and readiness to shape this new role, saying, “Sharon’s deep understanding of the Berkeley advising ecosystem, her demonstrated success within her College and across campus, and her commitment and active implementation of equity-oriented advising with an ethos grounded in DEIBJ distinguished her among the applicants for the role which she will shape and inform in the coming years.”
Shape the role for assistant dean of advising Mueller has, responding to the broad directive to support and advance the L&S undergraduate experience by setting a strategic vision for the College advising, managing resourcing and staffing, and advising the executive dean among other college and campus leaders on programmatic and policy development for undergraduate education at Berkeley.
“Sharon is an exceptional, action-oriented leader with an unwavering commitment to both her advising team and our undergraduate students. As Assistant Dean, her hands-on approach has been instrumental in advancing our L&S mission,” said Assistant Director of Frontline Services Phuong Tang. “I have always valued her ability to ask the right questions, make decisive moves, and communicate with clarity… Her impact on L&S advising is profound, and while she will be deeply missed, the legacy she leaves behind will be felt for years to come.”
“While in her role, decision and policy transparency has increased, which not only makes our role as advisers easier, but increases students’ understanding and trust in our office,” said Senior College Adviser & Project Lead Joanna King. “Our staffing has also increased, alleviating the burden of too heavy of a workload, reducing burn out, and providing students easier access to L&S advising support.”
As Monica Garcia, M.Ed., Assistant Director of the Academic Progress Team, put it simply, “Processes and policies have made more sense with Sharon leading the way.”
Leader, colleague, community member, and friend
Mueller’s fidelity to Berkeley throughout her career can in part be attributed to the dynamic community to which being a student then staff member has allowed her to belong.
“Berkeley has a community of staff who are committed to service, care deeply, think creatively, and do good work,” said Mueller. “It is important to me to spend my time and energy doing something that aligns with my values, and being a lifelong learner at Berkeley, either through my formal education or through my work, has allowed me to do that.”
The value Mueller places on people has been widely felt in her roles across campus, where she’s cultivated a reputation for empowering her staff.
“Sharon has always been a role model for me—when I grow up, I want to be like her!” enthused former Engineering Student Services (ESS) colleague Mayra Rivera, Associate Director of Advising. “She is down-to-earth, supportive, and always puts the team first. She gave me opportunities to try new things and encouraged me to grow, both professionally and personally... I learned how to be a better adviser because of her guidance. I especially appreciated how she balanced giving me independence with offering support when I needed it. Her belief in me made a lasting impact, and she will always be an important part of my UC Berkeley experience.”
Not a remote leader, Mueller is a friend to many, known for her kindness and sense of humor.
“We laugh at the same things and with each other,” said Director of Advising Roseanne Fong. “We even laugh at ourselves.”
“Sharon is quick with a smile and a laugh, and she's genuinely interested in others' stories,” said Assistant Director of Specialized Advising Greg Cera.
These attributes have long shone through and reflected in her work and approach to management.
“When Sharon joined Engineering Student Services (ESS), she brought with her a lightness and humor to the team as well as professionalism,” said former ESS colleague, Academic Adviser Olivia Chan. “Her role as our colleague turned supervisor was one that had a strong bond of trust from the beginning. We always knew Sharon would look out for our best interests.”
“Sharon led our advising team with her full heart,” said former ESS colleague Shareena Samson, Director of Advising and Policy. “She didn’t just manage an office; she ensured that her door was always open and that every one of us felt welcomed and heard.”
"It was truly an honor to work under Sharon’s leadership at the COE," said former ESS colleague Academic Advisor Andrea Cobar. "She was the kind of supervisor you knew you could go to with any question, knowing you’d receive expert guidance and a supportive ear. I’ve always admired how she stood firmly by policy without ever losing sight of the human element, she always put our students first."
“I appreciate Sharon’s humor, her directness, and the confidence she has shown in me as a thought partner,” said Peña-Rager. “Our working relationship has been one of mutual respect, giving credit where credit is due, and I am grateful for the ways she has both supported and challenged me as a leader.”
Mueller’s attitude and leadership are magnetic, and for one member of her senior staff, the prospect of working with Mueller more closely is part of what enticed her to work in L&S OUA.
“When I had the opportunity to come to OUA, Sharon was a huge pull factor,” said Associate Director of Communication & Training Meaghan DeRespini, who worked with Mueller on cross-college advising projects before her current appointment in L&S OUA. “It has been such a gift to work alongside her. She remains an advocate for advisers and the work of our dedicated student services staff, demonstrating consistent dedication, care, humor, curiosity, and a willingness to listen, learn, and try new things. I am so grateful for our work together, and for all that she has done for our advising community!”
Looking back and looking ahead
Mueller greatly appreciates everyone who has played a role in her Berkeley journey.
“I want to thank all of the advisers and staff who have trusted me and welcomed me into their orbits, and I want to thank all of the leaders who have supported me along the way,” said Mueller. “There are too many to name, but I hope you know who you are. I am filled with gratitude.”
She especially notes the impact of a key leader in her life, the late Mary Slakey Howell, who was Mueller’s supervisor in ESS.
“She was brilliant, kind, measured, curious, and powerful. Mary was my champion,” said Mueller. “She believed in me more than I believed in myself, and she encouraged me to take on leadership roles I didn't think I could do. If it weren't for Mary, I would not be in the position I am today… I can still hear her voice when I am struggling."
Mueller took on the role of her mentor in ESS when she became the director of advising and policy, and she was one of the first recipients of an award named in Howell’s honor, the Mary Slakey Howell award for advising excellence, UC Berkeley's highest advising award, in 2017.
“Sharon followed in the footsteps of our supervisor Mary Howell, who had been known campus-wide for keeping ESS on the cutting edge and knowing the history of all things engineering,” said Chan. “Sharon had enormous shoes to fill, and as her colleague turned employee, [I] couldn’t help but commend how Sharon took the challenge head on.”
Some of Mueller’s many accomplishments and contributions in her career include participating in the development of the campus-wide BOA online student tracking system for academic advising, co-chairing the Golden Bear Experience Academic Advising Committee, and her recognition through a number of awards, including the Excellence in Management Award, a Distinguished Service Award, and multiple STAR and SPOT awards.
Now in the final months of her Berkeley career, Mueller is anticipating new personal journeys to come. She looks forward to “reading the stack of books that have accumulated on [her] shelf, spending time in nature and away from screens, running errands in the middle of the workday, traveling and exploring, and volunteering for causes dear to [her] heart.” Most of all though, Mueller is excited to care for her 3-month-old granddaughter Bridget and start “seeing the world through her eyes.”
Before taking on this new perspective, however, Mueller looks back, with eyes marked by a career’s worth of wisdom, with a spirit of gratitude.
“Berkeley is a great place to work,” said Mueller. “It's dynamic, challenging, rewarding, and never boring. I continue to learn every day. I feel so lucky to have worked with so many brilliant staff, faculty, and students. I am incredibly grateful for the past 35 years.”
