UC Berkeley’s Council on Advising and Student Services and awards planning committee recently announced the recipients of the 2024 Excellence in Advising & Student Services Awards, which recognize the recipients' positive and innovative impacts on student learning, engagement, and belonging on the Berkeley campus.
The award recipients will be honored at a ceremony on Monday, December 2 at 2:00 pm PST. The full list of awardees is available on the Berkeley Advising Strategy + Training website. Award recipients affiliated with the College of Letters & Science are listed below - congratulations to all, and thank you for your service!
The Mary Slakey Howell Excellence in Advising and Student Services Award, Our Highest Honor
The Mary Slakey Howell award for excellence in advising and student services is UC Berkeley's highest individual advising honor. It recognizes visionary leadership and exceptional contributions and dedication to the advising community.
Alicia K. Hayes, Associate Director, National Scholarships and Experiential Fellowships, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships
"Every year, Alicia Hayes mentors undergraduates through the process of applying for nationally competitive scholarships. In her 23-year career as a fellowships advisor, Alicia has positively impacted the lives of thousands of students, influencing their intellectual and professional trajectories after graduation. Alumni regularly report that working with Alicia transformed both their self-actualization as schola
rs and sense of self-worth. Over the years, Alicia has honed a comprehensive advising approach that affirms students’ experiences within and beyond the classroom. She trains them how to identify attainable sources of funding and how to leverage their academic study, extracurricular interests, and personal background to align with funding priorities and selection criteria. Self-reflection and critical empathy are core to Alicia’s concept of ‘appreciative advising,’ a practice that she has developed to help students find strength in their vulnerabilities and meaning in their life challenges. Alicia’s advising extends Berkeley’s reputation for excellence nationally and internationally. In addition to supporting the placement of Cal students in elite scholarship programs, she is a role model and mentor to scholarship advisors across the country, and serves as a campus ambassador to foundation representatives from around the world. Anyone who has worked with Alicia can testify to her joy and sense of purpose in working with students. Her legacy brings great honor to Cal."
Isela Peña-Rager, Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science:
"Dr. Isela Peña-Rager exemplifies leadership and innovation, transforming student advising at UC Berkeley with her dedication to equity and inclusivity. As Assistant Director of L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising, her student-centered approach fosters a culture of belonging, where diversity is celebrated, and staff are empowered to provide more than transactional advising. She is a champion of racially-just practices, advocating for both students and staff with courage and passion. Isela's mentorship and support inspire colleagues to engage in self-reflection and growth, enhancing staff morale and retention fearlessly and tirelessly. Her work on improving operational policies, advising tools, and training programs demonstrates her commitment to innovation and collaboration, benefiting over 50,000 staff and students within and beyond the College of Letters & Science. Isela’s leadership in organizations and initiatives such as Alianza, the Equity-Oriented Advising and Coaching Program, and the Latinx Thriving Implementation Team, alongside her strategic oversight in advising operations, makes her a key contributor to Berkeley’s mission of fostering intellectual engagement and inclusivity. Her dedication to uplifting others and driving equity forward makes her an outstanding recipient for the Mary Slakey Howell Excellence in Advising and Student Services Award."
Advising Innovation
An individual or team who has exhibited creativity and innovation in providing effective and welcoming advising and/or student services.
The Equity-Oriented Advising & Coaching Program Team: "The Equity-Oriented Advising & Coaching (EOAC) Program equips advising and student services 
participants with adaptive equity-oriented pedagogies (AEP) that increase student success and belonging. The team impacted 400+ advisors, instructors, & managers to use student data to identify biases and reduce equity barriers (e.g., imposter phenomenon). The team gathered weekly feedback and assessed participant AEPcompetencies. The team then refined its teaching on topics like bias, microaggressions, and creating a welcoming brave space, empowering participants to transform student experiences. A student notes a participant’s impact: “I never felt judged and having an academic counselor that understood the cultural baggage of academics was really important to me. I was able to successfully clear academic probation with your advice!” Integrating theory and practice, participants create advising philosophies, apply anti-racist strategies, and receive ongoing coaching, driving transformative change in their practice. An advisor said: “The EOAC program is the best program for creating transformative anti-racist, equity champions. The program team strengthens our practices and services that impact tens of thousands of students. I, other advisors, and instructors have found that [AEP] strategies are the most effective at dramatically improving all students’ success, confidence, and sense of belonging. The program's data-driven AEP framework should be the framework for the world."
L&S members of the team include:
- Isela Peña-Rager, Co-Chair, Cal Coaching Network and Assistant Director, L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising
- Additional 2024 EOAC Program Educators: Arman Liwanag, Senior College Advisor, Project Lead, L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising
- Additional 2022 Pilot Program Development & Implementation Team: Tim Cahill, Senior Academic Adviser with the College of Letters & Science Office of Undergraduate Advising
Excellence in Data and/or Research-Driven Student Services
An individual or team within a student services unit who has integrated data, assessment, research, and/or student development or engagement theory to improve or inform advising and student support practice at Berkeley.
L&S Frontline Unit and Peer Program Team, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science:
"The L&S Frontline Unit and Peer Program are deserving of the “Excellence in Data and/or Research-Driven Student Services” award because of all the ways in which we have consistently innovated our advising services to deliver comprehensive advising and support to our large undergraduate student population. Our teams are committed to improving our advising services based on data-driven results. While our teams manages a wide array of frontline responsibilities, we specifically prioritized the data collection and analysis of three student-facing services: Virtual Front Desk, Dwinelle Front Desk, and AskLnS email advising. By collecting quantitative and qualitative data on these services throughout Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, we captured our student impact and were ultimately able to advocate for the implementation of a new drop-in advising service to better serve our undergraduate students. Qualitative feedback from students on our virtual advising services include: “Incredible access and availability with real people who are helpful. Fresh, receptive and responsive! What an amazing service- so personal and knowledgeable! Student focused- Student centered wonderful people! Thank you!”
Because of all our efforts in data collection and analysis, we better understand our students’ needs and always strive to improve our systems and services to help transform our students’ experiences at UC Berkeley in alignment with Berkeley’s Advising & Student Services Goals and Principles."
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Phuong Tang, Frontline Advising Supervisor
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Anna Sanderson, Intake Adviser
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Quest Dibley, Petition Processing Assistant
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Cat Hubbard, Advising Assistant
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Jade Lumada, Intake Adviser
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Vanessa Torres, Intake Adviser
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Isabella Perez, Intake Adviser
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Denise Soloranzo, Intake Adviser
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Sara Guevara, Intake Adviser
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Greg Cera, Student Advising Supervisor
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Riri Shibata, College Adviser
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Maire Lanigan, Senior College Adviser
Service to the Advising and Student Services Community
An individual or team who has made a significant contribution to the advising and student services community, e.g., creating a resource, process improvement, or program that positively impacts the advising or students services community beyond their immediate area(s) of work.
Monica Garcia, Academic Progress Team Advising Supervisor, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science and Jan Carmelo Bautista, Academic Advisor, Public Programs, UC Berkeley Extension
"L&S Advising Supervisor Monica Garcia and former EOP Assistant Director of Degree Completion Pathways Jan Carmelo Bautista are equity-oriented, highly collaborative pioneers who focus their efforts on underserved and historically marginalized student populations. In a culmination of their ongoing efforts on the too-often unsung work related to academic difficulty (i.e., academic notice/probation & disqualification/dismissal), they dreamed up, created, leveraged networks and resources, and co-facilitated the highly praised, inaugural Academic Difficulty Summit that centered EOP-eligible undergrad data.
The impact of the event on the advising and student services community was palpable as evidenced by the spectacularly glowing feedback and by the calls to keep the momentum going. Participants praised the team’s dynamic and engaging facilitation style; expressed gratitude for recruiting a keynote speaker that presented sobering and compelling data that highlight the inequities for EOP-eligible students; and noted how much they were able to learn about policy and practice across campus in a few hours thanks to carefully crafted discussion topics and format. Descriptors of the event included, “eye-opening,” “spectacular,” and “powerful.” A few more added: “So many folks should see this!!” “[...] This summit could easily be a whole day with a much larger audience.” “Needs to be shared with the College Deans and governing faculty members.”
Outstanding New Advisor or Student Services Staff
An individual with three or fewer years experience working in advising or student support at Berkeley whose primary role is the direct delivery of advising and/or student services to students. Ideal candidates have demonstrated a positive impact on student learning, engagement, belonging, and success; and embody a student-centered, equity-oriented, strengths-based approach to advising, counseling or mentoring.
Arman Liwanag, Senior College Adviser & Project Lead, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science:
"Arman Liwanag (he series), Senior Advisor and Deans’ Conference Coordinator at L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising, is a superstar newcomer who creates and fosters psychological safety for staff, students, and even faculty administrators no matter what space he enters. He is an authentic, compassionate, skillful, and innovative leader who seeks out and implements efficiencies that have resulted in more equitable, sustainable, student- and staff-centered processes and practices. Some of his stand out contributions and innovations include the Academic Success Action Plan (ASAP), a fillable advising tool/form that supports students experiencing academic difficulty; the inaugural and inclusive in-person Deans’ Conference retreats; several tweaks to the readmission after dismissal process that resulted in an 85% - 90% reduction in administrative work; facilitation of tough and effective discussions related to policies and processes for exceptional student requests such as retroactive withdrawals and excess units/semesters; an unwavering commitment to historically marginalized students and staff as evidenced through his work with Asian Pacific American Student Development (APASD) and Filipinx Faculty & Staff Association (FFSA); and an infectious joy and commitment to the field of advising and student services. Arman is one young professional to keep an eye on for inspiration and wisdom!"
Outstanding Advisor or Student Services Staff
An individual with more than three years experience working in advising or student support at Berkeley whose primary role is the direct delivery of advising and/or student services to students. Ideal candidates have demonstrated a positive impact on student learning, engagement, belonging, and success; and embody a student-centered, equity-oriented, strengths-based approach to advising, counseling or mentoring.
Ambrosia Shapiro, Undergraduate Academic Advisor, Department of Geography:
"Ambrosia Shapiro has served Berkeley Geography as our Undergraduate Major Advisor and Communications and Events Specialist since 2021. The impact that Ambrosia has made on our undergraduate students is stunning. She mentors multiple students as work studies to help prepare them for the workplace, and it is routine to walk past her office and see undergraduates discussing their courses and next steps for success at Berkeley, or simply being there to build community and support each other. As someone with personal experience of being system-impacted, Ambrosia dedicates her own time to help those of our students who are most vulnerable, helping them find employment, apply for fellowships, and assisting them to successfully gain entry into and funding for prestigious graduate programs. When campus shut down in the midst of a threat of an active shooter in 2021, Ambrosia sent text messages to each student to ensure they were safe, and multiple students turned to her office as a refuge from the stress and confusion. In 2022, she was awarded the RISE leadership award in recognition of her support of women geographers. The Class of 2023 stealthily arranged a surprise thank you to Ambrosia for the impact she had made on their undergraduate careers. As a role model, she has already ushered multiple students into positions as student advisors within this University and others - students who are keen to take her example of the life-changing impact an advisor who serves can have."
Thomas Brown, Lead Undergraduate Major Advisor, Department of Mathematics:
"For 24 years, Thomas Brown, Lead Undergraduate Major Advisor for the Department of Mathematics, has served as a guiding light for students. His passion for advising lies in connecting with students as people and challenging them with questions that ignite their curiosity and passion for learning. Thomas loves the moment when a student’s eyes light up and the conversation veers beyond typical transactional matters. He is a caring and patient mentor to his colleagues to ensure that all math students get personalized, nuanced, and meaningful advising. Thomas loves to use analogies and metaphors in his advising practice, and has many sayings that are well known in the department, but sometimes the simple things stick with students too. One student recalled, “Thomas encouraged me to pursue mathematics despite my being inundated with logistical and bureaucratic hurdles, and is perhaps the reason why I became a math major. For that I appreciate him greatly. The first time I went to his office, as I left he said “enjoy math!” That has always stayed in my mind.” Thomas’ unwavering commitment to student advising and the Math Community is unmatched and we are thrilled to celebrate him with an Outstanding Advisor Award."
Outstanding Faculty Advisor
An individual whose primary responsibilities are teaching and research who spend a portion of their time providing advising directly to students. Ideal candidates have demonstrated a positive impact on staff and/or student learning, engagement, belonging, and success; and embody a student/staff-centered, equity-oriented, strengths-based approach to management and supervision.
Joe Hyoung Lee, Lecturer, Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies:
"Joe Hyoung Lee is a lecturer for the Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies program, and teaches ASAMST 143B: Contemporary Health Issues for AA & NH/PI Communities. He is also an advisor for the student organization, Asian Pacific Islander HealthResearch Group (AAPIHRG), and co-facilitates a field study course for students enrolled in the Certificate in Asian American Community Health (CAACH). For nearly a decade, Joe has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to providing students with advising support that is student-centered, equity-oriented, and inclusive. As an advisor and lecturer, he has equipped countless students with the confidence, knowledge, and skills necessary to pursue leadership roles in community health, social justice, and health equity. For example, Joe has utilized his expansive expertise as a community health professional to connect students directly with opportunities to interact or work with health organizations in the Bay Area. Joe also continues to be a source of mentorship and support for AAPIHRG and CAACH coordinators/staff members and serves as a strong advocate for undergraduates to co-design their educational experiences."
The full list of award recipients is available on the Advising Matters website.
https://advisingmatters.berkeley.edu/our-community/excellence-advising-s...