by Jill Lingard
Chris Holyoak was recently recognized as UF’s Advisor of the Year for 2008-2009. She is an Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, where she has served for nearly 10 years. With B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from UF, she considers herself a true-blue Gator. Chris graciously agreed to share some of her advising experiences with UF’s advising community.
What’s your current position at UF?
My official title is Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science. My B.S. and M.Ed. degrees are from UF and I consider myself a true-blue Gator. I’ve been in this position nearly ten years. Prior to this position, I spent a year and a half as the academic advisor for freshmen and sophomores in the College of Health and Human Performance.
Describe the population of UF students you currently work with.
I work with undergraduates majoring in Microbiology and Cell Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Most students are pre-med, pre-dental, or plan to pursue graduate studies in cell and molecular biology. They are a smart, organized, focused, and task-oriented population.
What do you like most/least about your job?
What I like best is the satisfaction I get when I see students that I have mentored graduate. Our students have a very high success rate in gaining entry into professional and graduate schools. Seeing these talented and disciplined students graduate, and knowing that I had some role in their success, is very gratifying.
What I like the least is dealing with students who either fail, or are on the brink of failure. Sometimes these are heart-breaking situations, and sometimes all I can offer is sympathy. I encourage these students to keep trying, because I have seen some come back from failure and succeed.
What keeps you motivated?
I am in the unique position of playing a significant role in shaping students’ careers. I am privileged to have such an important job at the university. Knowing that I have been entrusted with such responsibility keeps me motivated.
The peaks and valleys of the advising calendar year can be stressful so it’s important to pace myself, be fit, get plenty of rest, graze on food all day for energy, and not take myself so seriously that I forget to laugh and have fun. During lunch hour, I almost always take a long walk around campus or at the stadium with my friend or work out at Living Well. This gives us both a chance to burn off the morning stress, hash out problems, blow off steam, and get ready for the afternoon schedule.
Describe something related to advising at UF that you wish you could change.
I’d like to see a system in place that streamlines academic support services for students. I see too many students having to run all over campus to find the right person to see about their problem. I can foresee the day when a student seeing me for an appointment can also drop a class, register, pay fees, complete a petition, change a major, or have a hold lifted without ever having to leave my office to see another person on campus for additional paperwork and approval.
What’s the best thing a student ever told you?
This comment by one of my graduates describes what it means to me to be selected as the UF Advisor of the Year: “I think most people view what they do every day as just a job. Miss Holyoak isn't one of those people.” Once in a while, what we do actually gets through to our students and they value our honest advice. This student was dismissed from UF as a sophomore, attended a community college and earned his AA degree, was readmitted to UF in our major, earned all A’s and graduated, attended and graduated from medical school, and is currently doing his residency in Emergency Medicine. He deserves most of the credit for his accomplishments, but telling me how much he credited my help was one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve had as an advisor.
What advice would you give a brand new advisor at UF?
Put yourself in the place of the students you are advising to understand how it feels to sit across from a total stranger who controls much of their future at UF. Be factual, consistent, and knowledgeable of policies, take the time to listen, be flexible, and treat each case as if it’s one of your family members looking for advice. Never let a student leave your office without giving them a hand shake and a smile. New hires should also ask an experienced advisor to serve as a mentor. A mentor will help the advisor avoid land mines and teach them who to call when problems arise. And finally, the new advisor should set up meetings with teaching faculty to get their input.
What advice do you give a brand new student at UF?
Pace yourself with studies and personal activities. Treat being a student as your full time job, which requires you to be organized, competent, and reliable. Introduce yourself to your instructors, keep up with your work, and if you begin to have difficulties with a class or have a problem, see your instructor and advisor right away. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Have fun within reason and make adult decisions because what you do now could have a lasting impact on your future plans. Make an appointment with your advisor, introduce yourself, and get a program designed. Make sure you go to at least one football game, volunteer at the homeless shelter, say something nice to at least one person every day, and always do the best you can.
What do you enjoy doing away from work?
Away from work I love to read, go to movies and out to dinner, work in my garden, take cruises, go to the beach, go to Gator football games, and visit family and friends. I have a very special man friend, and two cats Sammie and Chunky Punky. My man friend has a basset hound named Walter and a cat named Junior, so they are all part of the group. We spend a fortune on dog and cat treats and kitty litter. I also love to travel and explore national parks and hike their trails. I’ve been to just about every national park on the west coast. Three of the most magnificent sights I have ever seen are Niagara Falls, a sunrise over Lake Powell in Arizona, and sunset at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
What’s your secret for balancing your work and home lives?
My secret is to work hard all day and make sure I have something fun and relaxing to do at home. I compartmentalize. There is the work compartment and the non-work compartment. Time is allotted to each, and I don’t allow them to encroach upon one another.
Chris Holyoak was recently recognized as UF’s Advisor of the Year for 2008-2009. She is an Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, where she has served for nearly 10 years. With B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from UF, she considers herself a true-blue Gator. Chris graciously agreed to share some of her advising experiences with UF’s advising community.
What’s your current position at UF?
My official title is Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science. My B.S. and M.Ed. degrees are from UF and I consider myself a true-blue Gator. I’ve been in this position nearly ten years. Prior to this position, I spent a year and a half as the academic advisor for freshmen and sophomores in the College of Health and Human Performance.
Describe the population of UF students you currently work with.
I work with undergraduates majoring in Microbiology and Cell Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Most students are pre-med, pre-dental, or plan to pursue graduate studies in cell and molecular biology. They are a smart, organized, focused, and task-oriented population.
What do you like most/least about your job?
What I like best is the satisfaction I get when I see students that I have mentored graduate. Our students have a very high success rate in gaining entry into professional and graduate schools. Seeing these talented and disciplined students graduate, and knowing that I had some role in their success, is very gratifying.
What I like the least is dealing with students who either fail, or are on the brink of failure. Sometimes these are heart-breaking situations, and sometimes all I can offer is sympathy. I encourage these students to keep trying, because I have seen some come back from failure and succeed.
What keeps you motivated?
I am in the unique position of playing a significant role in shaping students’ careers. I am privileged to have such an important job at the university. Knowing that I have been entrusted with such responsibility keeps me motivated.
The peaks and valleys of the advising calendar year can be stressful so it’s important to pace myself, be fit, get plenty of rest, graze on food all day for energy, and not take myself so seriously that I forget to laugh and have fun. During lunch hour, I almost always take a long walk around campus or at the stadium with my friend or work out at Living Well. This gives us both a chance to burn off the morning stress, hash out problems, blow off steam, and get ready for the afternoon schedule.
Describe something related to advising at UF that you wish you could change.
I’d like to see a system in place that streamlines academic support services for students. I see too many students having to run all over campus to find the right person to see about their problem. I can foresee the day when a student seeing me for an appointment can also drop a class, register, pay fees, complete a petition, change a major, or have a hold lifted without ever having to leave my office to see another person on campus for additional paperwork and approval.
What’s the best thing a student ever told you?
This comment by one of my graduates describes what it means to me to be selected as the UF Advisor of the Year: “I think most people view what they do every day as just a job. Miss Holyoak isn't one of those people.” Once in a while, what we do actually gets through to our students and they value our honest advice. This student was dismissed from UF as a sophomore, attended a community college and earned his AA degree, was readmitted to UF in our major, earned all A’s and graduated, attended and graduated from medical school, and is currently doing his residency in Emergency Medicine. He deserves most of the credit for his accomplishments, but telling me how much he credited my help was one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve had as an advisor.
What advice would you give a brand new advisor at UF?
Put yourself in the place of the students you are advising to understand how it feels to sit across from a total stranger who controls much of their future at UF. Be factual, consistent, and knowledgeable of policies, take the time to listen, be flexible, and treat each case as if it’s one of your family members looking for advice. Never let a student leave your office without giving them a hand shake and a smile. New hires should also ask an experienced advisor to serve as a mentor. A mentor will help the advisor avoid land mines and teach them who to call when problems arise. And finally, the new advisor should set up meetings with teaching faculty to get their input.
What advice do you give a brand new student at UF?
Pace yourself with studies and personal activities. Treat being a student as your full time job, which requires you to be organized, competent, and reliable. Introduce yourself to your instructors, keep up with your work, and if you begin to have difficulties with a class or have a problem, see your instructor and advisor right away. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Have fun within reason and make adult decisions because what you do now could have a lasting impact on your future plans. Make an appointment with your advisor, introduce yourself, and get a program designed. Make sure you go to at least one football game, volunteer at the homeless shelter, say something nice to at least one person every day, and always do the best you can.
What do you enjoy doing away from work?
Away from work I love to read, go to movies and out to dinner, work in my garden, take cruises, go to the beach, go to Gator football games, and visit family and friends. I have a very special man friend, and two cats Sammie and Chunky Punky. My man friend has a basset hound named Walter and a cat named Junior, so they are all part of the group. We spend a fortune on dog and cat treats and kitty litter. I also love to travel and explore national parks and hike their trails. I’ve been to just about every national park on the west coast. Three of the most magnificent sights I have ever seen are Niagara Falls, a sunrise over Lake Powell in Arizona, and sunset at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
What’s your secret for balancing your work and home lives?
My secret is to work hard all day and make sure I have something fun and relaxing to do at home. I compartmentalize. There is the work compartment and the non-work compartment. Time is allotted to each, and I don’t allow them to encroach upon one another.
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