Jessica Sturgill, an academic advisor at The Ohio State University at Marion, was recently awarded the Mary Bailey Award Academic Advising during a recent Academic Advising Association of The Ohio State University (ACADOS) annual banquet in April.
This annual award is given to those who were selected by their peers and voted on by the ACADAOS awards committee. Two winners are chosen annually from a pool of advisors nominated university wide.
Sturgill has worked at Ohio State since 2016, starting off as an admissions counselor on the Newark campus. She transitioned to advising on the Marion campus in March of 2018 and currently serves as a senior academic advisor. In her position, she supports students in health-related majors at Ohio State Marion, which requires consistent juggling of multiple degree requirements while advising them.
In addition to advising, she also supervises the front desk student workers and plans academic fairs at the campus so that her students have access to departmental contacts to help them best succeed. She has also taken on the challenging responsibility of helping departments on the Marion campus schedule their classes in ways that best support students and the broader campus community.
In their nomination letter, her supervisor noted, “Jessica demonstrates genuine care for students while empowering them to navigate their academic journeys with confidence and purpose.”
A faculty member wrote in their letter, “She clearly loves her work, and her enthusiasm is infectious. She clearly cares about the success of the students at Ohio State Marion and is committed to helping our campus thrive.”
Her students feel that she has been an asset to them as well with remarks that they would not have graduated without her. “She doesn’t just help you with a class or scheduling making sure you are on track, she relates, wants to find a good interest for you. And always wants you to feel like you are not alone,” said one student nominator.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Mary Bailey Award for Outstanding Academic Advising within The Ohio State University,” said Ohio State Marion Academic Advisor Jessica Sturgill.
“I truly love working with my advisees and supporting them throughout their academic and personal journeys during their time at Ohio State Marion,” Sturgill added.
She concluded, “I am grateful for the trust students place in me and for how openly they share their experiences. It is incredibly meaningful to play even a small role in their lives. Collaborating with the faculty has been an equally amazing and rewarding experience and has helped me serve students better.”