Academic advisor Rachel Hall receives regional award for excellence in advising

Senior assistant director of major exploration Rachel Hall ’17 has received national recognition for her outstanding advising skills and unwavering devotion to student success.

Hall was awarded the 2021 NACADA Region 2 Excellence in Advising-Advisor Primary Role Certificate of Merit during a virtual conference on March 10.

NACADA is a global community for academic advising. According to its website, the national organization “promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students.”

Region 2 of NACADA includes advisors in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Hall said she was “very grateful and honored” to be recognized by her NACADA colleagues. Her Radford University colleagues agreed that she is very deserving of the recognition.

“Rachel is a model academic advisor,” said Emily Paisley ’12, a fellow academic advisor. “Her many years of experience make her an expert in advising competencies, but Rachel’s warmth and care for students is what really puts her at the top of her craft. She truly cares about the students of Radford University.  As a colleague, Rachel is constantly working to help other advisors learn and grow and never turns away questions from co-workers. As a Radford alumna who had the opportunity to work with Rachel as a student, I can whole-heartedly say she is a big reason why I returned to Radford to work as an academic advisor as well.”

An employee of Radford University for the past 15 years, Hall primarily advises first-generation, at-promise and academic-exploring students. She has taught UNIV 100: Introduction to Higher Education; UNIV 150: Achieving Success; and served as the coordinator of the annual Majors and Minors Fair and the Radford University Advising Conference.

Hall is currently the co-administrator of the Starfish student success platform and the center administrator for Signal Vine. She also serves as a volunteer for the Critical Incident Stress Management Team. Her tenure has been devoted to student success, technology in advising and professional development.

In 2017, Hall earned her Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in psychology and social work. She said she has enjoyed a rewarding career in advising, especially the deep connections she has formed with her students.

“Every day, I have the chance to remind students of their relevance and inherent worth,” she said. “Advising gives me the opportunity to encourage students to develop their personal and intellectual growth, courageously explore what makes them come alive and to audaciously pursue their passions.” 

Hall and her advising colleagues are housed in the newly established Academic Success Center. The center, under the leadership of executive director Corey Cassidy, Ph.D., brings together a team of highly skilled individuals who represent key areas within the divisions of Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs.

“Radford University has a long history of providing quality academic advising,” Hall said. “I feel very fortunate to work alongside so many caring professionals that are deeply committed to student success.”