Tammy Fisher
Director of Public Relations
La Sierra University
Riverside, California
909-785-2016 voice
tfisher@lasierra.edu
June 3, 2003

Riverside, CA – Susan D. Patt, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Art at La Sierra University (4700 Pierce Street, Riverside, CA) has been selected as an Outstanding Advising Award Winner in the Faculty Academic Advising Category as part of the 2003 National Academic Advising Association’s National Awards (NACADA) Program.

“Only five of these Advising Awards are given in the United States and Canada and we are the only school west of the Mississippi to receive this award this year,” says Iris Landa, Director of Advising and Orientation at La Sierra University. “It blew me away to read the students letters and Susan’s philosophy on advising. She goes way beyond the call of duty. She is also the only faculty member to receive this award at La Sierra. Our university has received more nominations than any other university with 14 nominations in total.”

Susan Patt, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Art at La Sierra University, counsels a student. Patt was selected as one of five Outstanding Advising Award Winners by the 2003 National Academic Advising Association's National Awards Program.

This award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated qualities associated with outstanding academic advising of students or outstanding academic advising administration. Patt is one of five faculty advisors honored with this award in this category in nation-wide competition this year. She will be honored at the national conference in October, receive free registration for the 2003 National Conference, a recognition plaque, and a one-year membership in NACADA.

Criteria for the NACADA award included strong interpersonal skills; availability to advisees, faculty, or staff; caring helpful attitude toward advisees, faculty and staff; and mastery of institutional regulations, policies, and procedures.

“My office should be a ‘safe place’ where students can dream dreams or express their fears and concerns,” says Patt. “A place where they can talk about future possibilities even if it isn’t what mom or dad want them to do. I see my role in this situation as not only a listener but a guide who encourages them to step forward boldly and do what is ultimately best for themselves.”

“Advising connects students in a very personal way to the university experience,” says Landa. “Many times parents don’t understand interests students come up with when given more choices. Fifty percent of freshmen change their major. It is important to have options when a student finds a passion for something different. In our accreditation last year the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accreditation said that La Sierra’s Academic Advising is at the top, a model for other schools.”

Some comments from students include:

“Susan helped me find my strengths and gave me support and encouragement to work through my weaknesses. She helped feed my creativity . . .” writes Alison T. Lew.

“Susan has been more than my advisor. She has been my professor, my mentor, my friend, and confidante. I trust her completely,” says Gabriela Martinez, graduate student in Printmaking, California State University.

“Not only is she engaged as a person on a deeply personal level, her guidance in the academic pursued, her guidance in the choices one makes, ‘high aim and high follow through’ is my experience with her,” says Elzbieta Daniela Maria Dymkova-Fuchs.

“She is an artist with an active studio who is also the chair of our Art Department and administers the campus art gallery,” says Jim Beach, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and La Sierra University. “But despite her heavy campus obligations, her students come first and her door is always open to her students.”

Patt earned a bachelor’s of science degree in Art with a concentration in painting from Andrews University in Berrien Springs. Mi. She also completed a master’s in Art education with an emphasis in textiles and fibers from Miami University in Oxford, Oh.

The NACADA was chartered as a non-profit organization in 1979 to promote quality academic advising and professional development of its membership to ensure the educational development of students. Since that beginning NACADA has grown to over 6,700 members consisting of faculty members, professional advisors, administrators, counselors, and others in academic and students affairs.

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