Greenlee School Academic Adviser Jason Wiegand was selected as a recipient of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)’s 2016 Outstanding New Adviser Award. The NACADA Annual Awards Program for Academic Advising honors individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising.
Wiegand joined the Greenlee School as an academic adviser in the fall 2013 semester. In his role he oversees the Greenlee Ambassadors program, which leads the school’s recruitment efforts by connecting propective students and their families with current students, who share their experiences as Greenlee students. This year Wiegand also became the faculty adviser for Happy Strong Healthy Magazine, a student publication that was founded in fall 2015.
"Jason has done an incredible job diversifying our Greenlee Ambassador program and recruiting new students to the Greenlee School," said Greenlee School Director Michael Bugeja. "He is more than worthy of this national recognition, and we are proud of and have benefitted from his efforts."
Wiegand joined NACADA when he was a graduate student working towards his Master’s of Education in 2012, because his mentor encouraged him to get involved with the national organization. He says receiving this award is a remarkable reminder of how far he has come since he began working as an adviser.
"I got really strong letters of recommendation from my colleagues and students that I work with," Wiegand said. "It’s exciting to know that I’ve got the respect of my colleagues at Iowa State, as well as on a national level. This award is beyond the scope of my institution and my NACADA region, so that is really meaningful for me."
Wiegand was nominated for the award by Todd Taylor, his mentor in NACADA’s Emerging Leaders Program. Wiegand was one of 10 advisers nationally who were selected for the two-year Emerging Leaders Program’s 2014 class. Wiegand will graduate from the program at NACADA’s 2016 national conference in Atlanta this October, where he will also be recognized for his Outstanding New Adviser Award.