Three individuals from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh will be honored by the Wisconsin Academic Advising Association at its state conference Sept. 16 in Green Bay.
- Quin Chrobak, associate professor of psychology, will receive the Faculty Adviser Excellence Award. Chrobak was nominated by Liz Whalley, director of undergraduate academic advising at UW Oshkosh.
“Dr. Chrobak has an excellent reputation among psychology majors who describe him as kind, approachable, engaging, humble and caring. Students seek him out (and he is frequently available–even in the summer). Because of this reputation, he has many “extra” advisees. Like many students at UW Oshkosh, he was once a first-generation college student himself and he freely shares his own experience to connect with and motivate students and put them at ease,” Whalley said.
- Cindy Fruhwirth, assistant director of academic advising in the Undergraduate Advising Resource Center (UARC), will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Advising Award. She too, was nominated by Whalley.
“I cannot overstate what Cindy has done to improve the quality and reputation of academic advising at UW Oshkosh. She has developed a top-notch peer advising program at UW Oshkosh, Peer Advising Liaisons (PALS)–the first of its kind on our campus,” Whalley said.
She also developed a new, grant-funded mentor program designed specifically for transfer students and has done numerous presentations at the state and national conferences on the topic of peer advising.
“She is an expert on the topic and has put UW Oshkosh on the map as a nationally recognized model,” Whalley said in her nomination.
- Haley Rohe, UW Oshkosh Student and Peer Advising Liaison (PAL) in the UARC, will receive the Peer Adviser Award. Rohe was nominated by Cindy Fruhwirth, assistant director of academic advising at UW Oshkosh.
“Haley has been a peer adviser for our office, the Undergraduate Advising Resource Center at UW Oshkosh, for one and a half years, including full time last summer. During this time, she has made significant contributions to the PAL program, to our office and to the campus as a whole.”
Rohe’s role is to troubleshoot students’ needs; help them with general education requirements, their degree audit and class registration; make an appointment for them with their adviser for major requirements; and refer them to other offices to address additional concerns. She is leader of the PAL Social Committee and helped organize a number of activities, including a game night, intramural basketball team and 5K run/walk team.
During the conference, Fruhwirth and Rohe will present “Get Them to a Lambeau Leap: Help Student Employees Have More than Just a Touchdown,” related to concepts used by the Peer Advising Liaison program at UW Oshkosh.
Whalley said over the years, many UW Oshkosh faculty and staff have received advising awards from Wisconsin Academic Advising Association.
In 2015, Margie Carlson, won a Foundation Award and Morris Hampton won Outstanding Achievement in Advising; in 2014, Houa Xiong, won for Advising Excellence and Christie Launius, for Faculty Adviser Excellence. In 2013, Ann Kunkle-Jones was honored for Advising Excellence and Joann Cross, for Faculty Adviser Excellence.
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