Thornton Receives Outstanding Advisor/Mentor Award

Frieda Thornton, a student advisor in the College of Education, and Sidney Thompson, a faculty member in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, will receive the 2006 Outstanding Advisor/Mentor Award.

The award is presented each spring to recognize faculty and staff members for excellence in advising undergraduate students on selection of classes and course of study, assisting them with academic problems, and providing guidance on related matters such as decisions about graduate school and careers.

Thornton, a program specialist in the department of elementary and social sciences education, has been academic advisor for undergraduates majoring in early childhood education for 16 years. She advises every undergraduate in early childhood -- about 250 students each term. She is also the department liaison with almost 30 schools that provide field experience for students and visits each school each term.

Thornton, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees in education from UGA, was chosen the College of Education's 2006 Outstanding Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

Thompson, the U.H. Davenport Professor in the department of biological and agricultural engineering, won the award for a tenure or tenure-track faculty member. He advises about 25 students each term and also coordinates the department's cooperative education program. Thompson was chosen this year's Outstanding Advisor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and has been selected Teacher of the Year nine times by students in his department.

A faculty member in the college since 1980, Thompson teaches primarily in the areas of mechanics and structural design.

Thompson and Thornton will receive a cash award and plaque and will be recognized at Honors Day and at the Faculty Recognition Banquet.

Nominations for the advisor/mentor award are made by deans of UGA's schools and colleges. Winners are chosen by a committee that is made up of a majority of students and also includes previous winners and advisor administrators.

In addition to Thompson and Thornton, the selection committee chose two advisors to receive a Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Advising. The recipients are Paul Welch in the School of Public and International Affairs and Laura Dowd in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Writer: Larry B. Dendy, 706/542-8078; ldendy@uga.edu
Contact: Ann Crowther, 706/542-4336; acrowther@uga.edu