The coordinator of services for engineering students wins the regional council award

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Branden Farmer, Student Services Coordinator for the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Auburn University, recently received the National Academic Advising Association, or NACADA, Excellence in Counseling Award in the New Counselor category. .

Farmer has worked at Auburn University since 2012, holding numerous positions. He joined the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in 2020 and is the primary academic advisor to over 300 students. He also recently received the Outstanding New Counselor Award at the 2022 Auburn University Provost’s Counsel Awards Ceremony on March 24.

Janet Moore, assistant dean and director of student services at Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, nominated Farmer for the NACADA award.

“The vision of Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is to provide the best student-centered experience in the county, and I’ve seen how Branden’s approach to advising and serving his students helps achieve that vision,” Moore wrote. in his letter of appointment. “In fact, there has been a marked difference in the culture of the Industrial and Systems Engineering department since Branden joined our team in 2020. He has been instrumental in giving students a voice and advocating for needed changes in the departement.”

Elizabeth Gowan, academic adviser for the Department of Computing and Software, supported his nomination with a letter stating that Farmer has a charisma that makes him the perfect academic adviser.

“He is a strong advocate for his students and fellow counselors,” she said. “If he sees a problem, he works diligently to find a solution that benefits all parties involved.”

Layla Araiinejad, an official in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, strongly supported Farmer’s nomination. Farmer was his advisor during the COVID pandemic when classes were only offered online.

“One of the most devastating aspects of having online classes during COVID was the lack of interaction between faculty and students,” Araiinejad said. “I felt like I never really got to know any of my professors and honestly felt disconnected from the department. However, my counseling appointments were different because those appointments were some of the only one-on-one meetings I had during my first year and the rest of my second year. Every appointment I had with Mr. Farmer was wonderful. He is one of the most enthusiastic people I know and even through Zoom, he exudes positive energy.Although he is on Zoom, Mr. Farmer always makes the effort to get to know his students while advocating for their success.

Farmer received the Excellence in Consulting Award at the NACADA Regional Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on April 11.

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