Advisor Spotlight: Jeff Citty

foreword by Deb Mayhew 
  

 

Congratulations to Jeff Citty, who has just successfully defended his doctoral dissertation!  As chair of the UAC campus affairs committee and chair of communications for the Engineering Advising Council, Jeff is a very active member of our UF advising community.  In 2009, NACADA recognized him as an Outstanding Advisor, and this year he will present at the national NACADA conference in Denver.  Jeff is also the director of the Engineering Freshman Transition program, which has significantly increased freshman retention. His undergraduate internship at Disney gave Jeff a strong foundation in management, which is evidenced today in both his leadership skills and the Disney memorabilia that is spread throughout the Engineering Student Affairs offices.

Jeff, why don’t we start off with some background on you?

I am a native Floridian, born and raised in Tampa.  I am married and have two wonderful children, Matthew (9) and Meghan (13). I am passionate about helping students and parents work toward common educational, personal and professional goals.  I am a huge Gator Fan.  I attended UF for my undergraduate and graduate degrees and began working for UF in 2001 in Student Financial Affairs.  After several years in financial aid, I obtained my Master’s degree and decided to become a part of the College of Engineering’s student affairs team where I have been working for the past eight years. During this time, I decided to return to complete my Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration and I am set to graduate this fall.     

Your current advising position is not altogether conventional.  What else do you do besides advising?

I like to classify my position as a hybrid advising/program director position.  In this role, I have the privilege of advising prospective engineering and undecided engineering students year round, but I also direct the Engineering Freshman Transition Program (EFTP).  This bridge program allows incoming engineering students to come to campus Summer B and take a set schedule of courses that has been proven to retain engineering students at a higher rate through the first year.  The classes include reviews in calculus, chemistry, AutoCAD, computer programming, engineering design, and student success.  These courses allow us to build upon students’ strengths and prepare them to tackle the fall semester with confidence.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Among the most satisfying experiences for me as a student affairs professional, has been advising and mentoring students on an individual basis and watching them develop and achieve their goals and graduate. I find that I always look forward to the individual conferences that I hold with students several times during the semester because I believe this kind of one-on-one interaction to be essential to their overall development as young adults. 

Is there anything that you don’t like about your job?

Counseling a student out of engineering. As an advisor, I want all students to succeed in their goals; however, engineering is sometimes not a good fit and holding those conversations with students can be difficult.

How is it, working with engineering majors?

It is truly amazing! Engineering students are creative, interesting, intelligent, and driven to excel. I enjoy watching these students come in to UF with ideas about what they what to do with their education and watch them turn them into reality.

Tell us a little known fact about yourself.

I am a Disney fanatic!  I did my college senior internship at Blizzard Beach and I just fell in love with the place.  If I am not in Gainesville at a Gator game, I am most likely at Disney.

What’s your favorite movie?

I am a big movie fan and my favorites change a lot, but here are a few:  Harry Potter series, Borne series, Iron Man, and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Lots of things:  Working out; yard work; golf; shooting some hoops, tossing the football, playing acoustic guitar, reading, and riding roller coasters!