Two staff members and one faculty member have been honored with the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising.
The annual award recognizes Pitt advisors who have engaged students in a collaborative and holistic process of advising by preparing students for lives of impact through educational experiences tailored to their specific goals and needs.
For this award, an academic advisor is defined as a professional staff or faculty member or administrator who formally serves as a student’s designated undergraduate academic advisor.
2024 Provost's Award recipients
Samuel Dickerson, Swanson School of Engineering, vice chair for education, director of the undergraduate program, an associate professor, and academic advisor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dickerson has a Ph.D., a master of science, and bachelor of science in electrical engineering, all from the University of Pittsburgh. He has been at Pitt since September 2015. His nominator, Alan George, department chair, says, “When it comes to student advising, Dr. Dickerson checks all the boxes, and far more. He is everything that one would want to see in a student advisor, and he goes above and beyond every semester.”
Amy Evans, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, a senior academic advisor in the Center for Advising and Student Success in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Evans earned a master of public policy and management degree from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor of arts in psychology from Oberlin College in Ohio. She has been at Pitt since 2006. Her supervisor, Tiwanda Taylor, says, “In addition to maintaining her caseload of advisees, Amy has served as the liaison for global opportunities. She coordinates programming with University offices and community resources to make students aware of opportunities.”
Adrian Gonzales, School of Public Health, director of undergraduate advising in the School of Public Health since February 2023 and an academic advisor at Pitt since 1996. He earned his master of science in information and a bachelor of arts in physics and astronomy, both from the University of Pittsburgh. His nominator, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Ada Youk, said, “Adrian has shown exceptional dedication to helping students in defining and achieving their academic goals. He engages students in meaningful conversations, helping them to explore and clarity their goals through insightful guidance.”