This award was set up by Wendy McLean (former First Year Centre Academic Advisor) and recognizes exceptional advising with an award of $500 donated to the UM Food Bank in the recipient’s name.

“As an advisor, Wendy’s greatest joy was to see growth; in both the students she advised and in the staff she mentored. In fact, when I was first an academic advisor in University 1 in 2010, Wendy was instrumental in helping me to see the transformational impact academic advising has on students.”, says Ali Wood-Warren, Director, Student Transitions and Success Centre. “Now as a leader in that same academic advising unit, I know that Wendy’s influence on advising at UM is still felt.”

Nomination Process

Nominees must be current UM staff members in continuing roles which provide direct support of students through academic or student advising, within academic or support units. Any member of the UM community (Faculty, Staff or registered UM Student) can nominate an advisor for this award by submitting the following:

• a completed nomination form
• a letter of support detailing the nominee’s contributions and demonstrating how they meet the award’s eligibility criteria (1 page maximum)
• at least two letters of recommendation from staff and/or learners who can attest to the nominee’s contributions and impact as a mentor, coach, or advisor.

Criteria for Consideration

The selection committee will evaluate nominees based on several key criteria, including:

• Improvements to processes and procedures
• Advancements in collaboration and/or teamwork excellence
• Notable creativity and innovation in advising techniques
• Outstanding efforts with individual students
• High levels of student engagement resulting from innovative practices
• Creative programming for advising students
• Productive use of university or community resources

Student Affairs looks forward to celebrating the exceptional work of UM advisors and supporting their impact on students through this award, says Ali Wood-Warren. “We are so grateful to Wendy McLean as the establishment of this award allows us to both celebrate excellence in advising and provides direct support to the students that we, as advisors serve.”

Application deadline for 2025 award: December 23, 2025
Award presentation: February 2, 2026

For more information, please visit the Wendy McLean Advising Excellence Award SharePoint site.

We chatted with Victoria Deakin, third year student Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, and new Student Services Navigator at the VAHC.

UM Today: What is the VAHC?

Victoria: The Virtual Advising Help Centre is made up of a team of friendly, knowledgeable people who are committed to responding to any student question while providing additional relevant information and support. In doing so, we aim for personal, professional service that will provide answers and next steps for success. We are the contact point for general enquiries regarding academics.

UM Today: Tell me about your role as a Student Services Navigator at the VAHC?

Victoria: We Student Navigators are a team of peer advisors answering questions related to the University of Manitoba, specifically including questions related to academic progress. We are here to support students in using Aurora, UM Achieve and other tools to map out their academic plans. Our goal is to be a friendly, empowering support system for students at any part of their academic journey. We will be answering students’ questions through chats, phone calls and emails.

UM Today: How do you anticipate the VAHC will help students?

Victoria: I feel that the VAHC will provide a friendly service for students unsure of where to search to obtain answers for their questions. We hope to emphasize human connection and personalized quality service. We will equip students with answers and supplemental knowledge relevant to their questions, tips on writing focussed professional emails and information for other relevant support systems.

UM Today: Can you think of a time in the past that you would have used the VAHC? What did you do instead?

Victoria: I would have used the VAHC when I was told I needed a proof of enrollment and was not sure how to obtain that document. I went to the Registrar’s Office and waited in line. When it was my turn to be seen, I was told that I had to use Aurora to order my proof of enrollment. The staff member at the Registrar’s Office was very helpful, but it would have been ideal to call the Virtual Advising Help Centre and have my question answered beforehand so that I could have obtained this document more efficiently.

UM Today: How can people contact the VAHC?

Victoria: People can contact the VAHC through live chat, phone or email. We are committed to providing rapid responses to all three communication methods. We are open in the daytime, evenings and weekends so that students can contact us whenever is most convenient.

The Virtual Advising Help Centre is open now!

Hours of Operation:

Mon-Fri: 8:30am to 9:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am to 5:00pm
204-474-8242

https://umanitoba.ca/virtual-advising-help-centre

Adams was selected in recognition of her contributions to advising and programming activities within the Faculty of Science, as well as the university community at large. 

“Christine’s generosity to her students and community at large is equaled by her generosity to her peers,” says Krystyna Koczanski, Associate Dean of Science. “Christine is considered the ‘go to’ person for all advising, troubleshooting, training and support in the Faculty of Science office, and regularly devises new ways to reach out to students.”

“My role is to listen and learn about each student, inform them of options, and empower them to make decisions to lead to academic success,” says Adams. “Students have so many options and competing priorities that sometimes it is hard for them to make decisions about which academic path to pursue, or the best way to pursue it.”

Karin Nowak-Bailey, last year’s Advising Excellence Award recipient, announced the award at the Advisor Exchange meeting in June. About her experience on this year’s selection committee, she said, “I was honoured to present the award because Christine had trained and helped shape my advising style and philosophy 15 years ago when we worked in U1 together. She has been a mentor and resource for many of us over the years and it was wonderful to be able to present the award to her.”  

Adams has spearheaded a number of initiatives for Science students, including: renewed orientation programming for first year Science students; LibChat, an online tool students can use to access advisors electronically; the move from a paper advising process to the electronic; improvements in academic and disciplinary processes; and she has been a major contributor to the extensive process of creating independent laboratory courses in chemistry.

“Christine’s approach to advising is thoughtful and student-focused, with student progression and success at the heart of her work,” says Brigitte Wiebe, University Advising Services Coordinator. “She finds solutions, whether issues and concerns are technical or procedural, sometimes seeming insurmountable.”

Adams is proud to be a part of an inspiring team at the U of M. She says, “working with the students and other staff members in the Faculty of Science and the University of Manitoba is something I really enjoy. There are so many advisors and people in Science, and across campus, doing amazing work, and I am proud to be a part of that. To have been acknowledged with this award was truly humbling.”

The award was first given out in 2018, and was started by retired University 1 academic advisor, Wendy McLean. McLean established this award to recognize advisors for their outstanding academic and student advising achievements.

You’ve taken a few classes, or more than a few, and it hits you: you want to change your program of study. This is actually pretty common. Believe it or not, that’s good news. Changing your mind means you’re still exploring. This is the time to get knowledge, gain experience and gather your options. Meeting with an academic advisor can help you answer important questions and explore different opportunities so you make the best decisions for you.

Some things to think about when exploring your academic degree options:

What are you interested in?

Take the time to consider your interests and values. This will help you set academic and career goals. What you like to do, what you like to learn about, and what feels important to you are all indicators of what will give you a sense of achievement and purpose in your work. 

Being aware of your interests and values will also help you select better course options, make connections with the materials learned in class and identify areas where you can build specialized skills.

What academic requirements do you need?

Find out what is required for degree programs you’re interested in, such as prerequisites, the course load each year, or summer session options. Knowing more about your program expectations can help you discover courses that are suited to your goals and skill development needs.

You can also explore degree requirements on individual course level to find out where different subjects and programs cross paths. Some courses are useful in multiple different degrees and there could be alternative routes to your intended career path.

 What related experiences do you need?

The job market is continuously evolving. With ever-changing job descriptions, technology and skill requirements, it’s more important than ever to take your education outside of the classroom. Connecting with student groups, co-op programs or participating in exchanges and service-learning opportunities are all experiences in which you learn, develop and utilize transferable skills. This will help you to be adaptable and versatile in a changing marketplace. As a bonus, these experiences will look great on your resumé.

Academic advisors are your go-to resource for exploring and expanding your degree options. Ask the questions and explore the answers – it is one of the best ways to use your time on campus!

Academic advisors at the University of Manitoba can be found in each of the faculties and units on campus. Review the advisor list to find out who to contact.

Lesley Friesen is the undergraduate program manager in the Faculty of Arts and has been providing academic advising service to new and returning students for over 15 years.

How do I check my hold status: 

1. Log in into your Aurora
2. Select Student Records, and then
3. Select View Holds. From there you will be able to determine the type of hold you have.

 What kind of hold do I have?

• Typically, holds will fall into two categories, academic or administrative
  • Academic holds are often a result of a required transit from U1 into the Faculty of Arts or Science, a lack of a Major, Minor, and/or Concentration declarations, or a pending disciplinary action.
  • Administrative holds are a result of unpaid tuition and/or other university fees, outstanding library books, parking fines and/or other fines.

What do I do?

Don’t ignore it! Particularly if this is an academic hold, your Academic Advisor can help.  If you need help understanding the hold, or you want to talk about your options, these are the best people to see.

When it comes to paying your tuition fees, you need to clear that up immediately. Students with outstanding balances may have been de-registered (withdrawn) from their courses and been placed on hold. Again, if you have any issues with your account, see your advisor, please don’t suffer in silence. In certain cases, your advisor may be able to help you get off hold and into classes.

To clear up other outstanding balances, you need to contact the appropriate office. For example, parking fines are paid with parking services, material fees accrued within the faculty, school or college are paid directly to them.

What if I just ignore it?

It is not a good idea to put it off or ignore a hold on your account. Address things as soon as possible! 

The hold is lifted – now what?

Once your account is back in good standing, you may find that you were removed from some courses.  If the courses are full now, you should consult with an Academic Advisor.  Run a degree audit in UM Achieve to match your completed and current courses against the degree requirements, it’s linked to Aurora so any time you add/drop a course, you can run a new audit and your recent course changes will be reflected in the new report.

Many students go to advisors for help selecting classes, understanding program information and completing graduation checks. But advisors can help with other questions as well.

When you first meet with an advisor they will want to know more about you: What are your interests, passions and career goals? What made you choose a particular faculty or program? Are you happy so far with your decision? Have you attended a career fair? What is your favourite course or summer job so far? Are you interested in completing a Master’s program after your degree? These questions put advisors in tune with your academic and future goals and interests. This makes them a great resource for a variety of things, including career-related information.

Advisors are also aware of the many tools on campus that are available to you, including the Career Compass for your program. If you have a career path in mind, the Career Compass can be used on a regular basis to provide direction for your academic and career pathway. Advisors can help you use these tools and will encourage you to visit the Career Services Office to work with the staff and resources to create a plan to enhance your employability upon graduation.  Advisors are also mindful of the many career focused events happening on Campus. For example, November is Career Month. Your advisor can help you figure out which of the Career Month events meet your personal needs. Attending these events can help you make important connections and identify other programs you can take advantage of in order to build the skills employers are looking for, or to start networking for future research endeavours.

You may have very clear ideas about what you would like to do in the future, and just need help determining the way forward. Or you may still be figuring out what you would like to do. Whatever your personal situation, advisors and career consultants can connect you with many tools on campus and can guide you to the people and resources that are available. 

A student/advisor partnership with effective communication and collaboration is fundamental for academic success. Your advisor has a wealth of knowledge and experience and a desire to see you succeed. Take advantage of this and make an appointment to see an academic advisor early in your university career. They would love the opportunity to get to know you and to be a part of building your future. Academic advisors at the University of Manitoba can be found in each of the faculties and units on campus. Review the complete advisor list to find out who to contact.

Wendy Kramer is an Academic Advisor in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, and Gail Langlais is the Director of Career Services.