Advisor of the Year 2005-2006
Name: Jennifer B. Horton
Department: Materials Science & Engineering (MSE)
College: Engineering
Rank: Program Assistant
Years at UF: 6 years, 7 months
Activities that led to award:
During the past year I have advised each of my undergraduates for registration each semester. Effective advising is not about removing holds to enable registration. It is about listening and helping students develop individual plans which will achieve their goals of being practicing engineers, graduate or professional students. Since my door is always open, I personally know all 140 undergraduates. I am as familiar with our 21 National Merit Finalists and two Lombardi Scholars as the students I advise for zero-deficit counseling. Our students’ willingness to share their everyday experiences with us is part of what makes advising such a meaningful career.
Through our advising, 50% of our students accomplished dean’s list for fall 2005; the department’s highest percentage in a given semester since I began. I also counsel zero-deficit students about falling into academic probation status; averaging <1% on probation. Most semesters, I won’t have any probationary students other than some who are conditionally admitted from other programs on campus because we offer rigorous support for failing students.
Aside from advising, I coordinate our annual MSE-Teach workshop. This week-long camp introduces MSE to middle and high school teachers state-wide and is being developed as a national model. This past year funding was secured through ASM International for this project. I also assist student societies by ordering refreshments for meetings and supplying promotional items for conferences. Other activities include completing my AA degree at SFCC to transfer to UF and secretary for the Fightin’ Gator Touchdown Club.
