March 25, 2026 | Read time 3 min

Celebrating excellence: 2025 recipients of the Academic Advising Awards

Summary

The Academic Advising Awards honor MSU advisors and advising teams whose commitment, expertise, and care help Spartans thrive. This year’s recipients represent a wide range of colleges and programs, each demonstrating outstanding support for students and meaningful contributions to MSU’s advising community.

Learn about the 2025 Academic Advising Award Recipients:

Every year, University Advising’s Undergraduate Academic Advisor Resources and Engagement (UUARE) team proudly recognizes the outstanding achievements of academic advisors and advising teams whose dedication, care, and expertise help Spartans thrive. The 2025 Academic Advising Award winners exemplify the very best of MSU’s advising community, identifying champions of student success who listen deeply, build trust, and guide students through important academic and personal pathways.

This year’s award recipients represent a range of colleges and programs across campus, each demonstrating a commitment to supporting students and strengthening the university’s advising ecosystem.

Rising Star in Academic Advising

Dan Hanrath – College of Music

Recognizing an advisor in their early career (fewer than five years), this award celebrates exceptional promise and meaningful impact

A person wearing a dark green sweatshirt with the words ‘Michigan State College of Music’ printed on the front stands indoors holding a clear glass award plaque with both hands. Another person stands beside them, wearing a dark blazer and light shirt. Both are positioned in front of a background made of dark red brick.
Dan Hanrath, left, with Mark Largent, dean and vice provost, Undergraduate Education

Dan has gone above and beyond and really integrated himself into the community…He has used his technical skills to upgrade processes and bring advising to students, rather than always requiring students to go to advisors by organizing pop up advising for both graduate and undergraduate students…Dan is a committed, talented, creative, exceptional and caring advisor who is on the rise and is sure to make a big impact, even if it's one student at a time. - Nominators

Sustained Excellence in Academic Advising

Dustin Petty – Bailey Scholars Program, Pathways Persistence Programs

This honor recognizes advisors with five or more years of demonstrated excellence in supporting students, colleagues, and emerging professionals.

A person wearing a short‑sleeve plaid shirt holds a transparent award plaque with both hands while standing in an auditorium-style space. Another person stands next to them wearing a blazer and light shirt. The background features a dark red brick wall, a metal handrail, and steps leading upward.
Dustin Petty, left, with Mark Largent, dean and vice provost, Undergraduate Education

In his 12 years as the advisor for BSP, Dustin has continued to advocate for our students, especially our marginalized students. Examples of Dustin's long-standing commitment to academic advising include his work fostering student care including getting training in Mental Health First Aid, extended additional learning and professional development in Decolonizing Advising, writing funded grants for student success, among many others. - Nominators

Excellence in Community Building

Dr. Pradnya Joshi – Eli Broad College of Business

Awarded to individuals who foster supportive, inclusive, and collaborative advising spaces, this award celebrates leaders who strengthen advisor networks and cultivating environments where students and colleagues feel welcomed, encouraged, and empowered. 

A person wearing glasses, a light-colored blouse, and a dark cardigan holds a clear award plaque with both hands. Another person stands to the right wearing a blazer and light shirt. They are positioned in front of a brick wall in an indoor auditorium-style setting. The lighting is focused on the two individuals.
Dr. Pradnya Joshi, left, with Mark Largent, dean and vice provost, Undergraduate Education

Dr. Joshi is deeply committed to creating an inclusive advising environment where all students feel valued, supported, and empowered. She intentionally incorporates appreciative advising, growth mindset principles, and inclusive language into her student interactions. Through open-ended questions, rapport-building strategies, and affirming phrasing to build rapport (e.g., “you haven’t completed an internship yet”), she creates welcoming spaces for international students, first-generation students, and those from underrepresented backgrounds. - Nominators

Collaborative Excellence in Advising

The Compassionate Advocates for Retention and Student Success (College of Communication Arts and Sciences): Dr. Allison Shaw, Jennifer Chesney, Tami Madden, and Nicole Acker

This award recognizes teams whose partnership, coordination, and innovation create measurable positive outcomes for students. 

Four individuals stand side by side in an indoor auditorium setting. Three of the individuals hold black certificate folders in front of them. The background is a dark red brick wall with partial stair railings visible. The lighting highlights the group in the foreground.
(From left to right) Nicole Aker, Tami Madden, Mark Largent, vice provost and dean, Undergraduate Studies and Dr. Allison Shaw.

CARSS has benefited ComArtSci by demonstrating how advising can serve as a central, coordinating force in retention and student success work. Advisors remain grounded in their primary responsibility to support students’ academic journeys while operating within a collaborative structure that improves communication, continuity, and outcomes across the College. This model reduces fragmentation, clarifies roles, and supports students through complex situations without creating new offices or duplicative processes. Just as importantly, CARSS reflects a shared advising philosophy grounded in student success, trust, and care. - Nominators

Honoring Our Advising Community

These awardees reflect the commitment of MSU’s advisors to fostering a culture where every student is heard, supported, and given space to grow. The annual Academic Advisor Recognition & Awards Ceremony continues to shine a light on the professionals who guide Spartans through some of the most impactful moments of their academic journeys.

To learn more about the Academic Advising Awards and view past recipients, visit the Academic Advisor Recognition and Awards webpage.