Mary Bailey Advising Award

By highlighting examples of outstanding advising, the awards help to demonstrate the efforts advisors make in providing excellent service and helping students achieve academic success. The recipients and nominees are outstanding role models for all advisors at the university. The annual nomination process and announcement of winners also help to increase the visibility of how professional advisors contribute to student success and to the mission of the university.

This award is named after Mary Bailey, who retired in 2021 after serving as Program Administrator and Advisor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry since 1993, and working in the Department in a variety of other roles since the mid-1970s. She assisted countless chemistry majors, even more students enrolled in classes, and supported the entire advising community. Mary was always willing to help any advisor or student with her signature insight, grace, and humor.

Two academic advisors at Ohio State will be selected each year to receive a certificate and a monetary gift presented by ACADAOS and the Office of Academic Affairs. The nominees and recipients are announced and honored at an annual ACADAOS banquet.

Past Recipients of the Mary Bailey Advising Award

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the Mary Bailey Advising Award, nominees must:

  • be a current Ohio State employee
  • hold at least 75% of a full-time appointment whose primary role is the delivery of advising services to students (faculty advisors are not eligible for this award)
  • have a minimum of 3 years of full-time advising experience, including positions at other institutions
  • not have won the Mary Bailey Advising Award or the Outstanding New Advisor Award in the past five years

Nominees are not required to be ACADAOS members. Previous nominees who did not receive the award may be nominated again.

Award Criteria

The Selection Committee, formed from within the executive board and membership of ACADAOS, will evaluate nominations on the evidence of exceptional advising qualities and practices that distinguish the nominee as an outstanding academic advisor. Award recipients will be selected on the basis of how the following criteria and characteristics are demonstrated in the nomination packets:

  • Advisor Impact on Students
  • Advisor Impact on Academic Unit
  • Advisor Impact on The Ohio State University

When completing your application, please keep the following criteria in mind:

  • Interpersonal/Human Relations Skills
  • Professional Practices
  • Documented Successes
  • Documented Advisor Development

For advisors with a significant length of service, nominators should be sure to include specific examples of how the nominee has demonstrated excellence in the award criteria, in addition to the cumulative impact of their career. For advisors who are newer to the profession but who still meet the experience minimum of 3 years of full-time advising, nominators should be sure to highlight how the nominee has made a significant impact in what may be a relatively short amount of time. Any previous nominations, awards, or other forms of recognition may also be included in the letters of support.

Consider highlighting some of the areas covered in the NACADA Advisor Award Criteria as you write your nomination.

How it Works

Nominations may be made by faculty, staff, and students (including past/present advisees). Self-nominations are also welcome.

Nomination packets must include at least three and up to five supporting letters or student recommendation forms. In order for a nomination packet to be considered complete, it must include:

Required Materials

  • Mary Bailey Advising Award Nomination Form. This form should be completed by the nominator.
  • Letter from the nominator. The letter should address all three award criteria — Impact on students, academic unit, Ohio State — but can do so in any format or order.
  • Current resume for the nominee. The resume should include details about job responsibilities, initiatives, skills, professional development activities, and other contributions to the community.
  • One Student Nomination Form. At least one student recommendation form needs to be completed by a current or former advisee.
  • One to three additional letters or student recommendation forms. These could be additional student recommendation forms from current or former students, or letters of support from alumni, peers, supervisors, community members, parents, or other stakeholders who have personal knowledge of the nominee’s performance as an academic advisor.
    Historically, the strongest nomination packets include support from a variety of different perspectives and have included both student and faculty/staff contributions.

Nominators and other contributors should be aware that the letters and student recommendation forms are not confidential. The Outstanding Advisor Award is a way to acknowledge and celebrate the work of advisors at Ohio State, and excerpts from the nomination packets will be shared with the greater advising community. Nominees will also receive a copy of the complete nomination packet after the award recipients have been announced each year.

Submission

The preferred submission format for the nomination packet is through the Qualtrics link above. Packets may also be submitted in hard copy if necessary.

Nomination Deadline: Friday, March 15, 2024

Please plan to have all materials collected and submitted by that time.

Announcement of Nominees and Recipients

After complete nomination packets have been received, ACADAOS will contact nominees to congratulate them on their nomination. The nominees are announced and honored at an annual ACADAOS banquet. Selections from the letters of support and student recommendation forms are read at the banquet, to celebrate the outstanding work of each nominee.

Questions? Contact the current Awards and Recognition Committee Co-Chairs, whose contact information can be found on the Committees page.