Engineering student services coordinator wins regional advising award

Branden Farmer, student services coordinator for the Auburn University Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, was recently recognized with the Excellence in Advising award from the National Academic Advising Association, or NACADA, in the New Advisor category.

Farmer has been employed with Auburn University since 2012, serving in numerous roles. He joined the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in 2020 and serves as the primary academic advisor for more than 300 students. He was also recently recognized with the Outstanding New Advisor award during the 2022 Auburn University Provost Advising Awards Ceremony on March 24.

Janet Moore, assistant dean and director of student services in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, nominated Farmer for the NACADA award.

“The vision of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is to provide the best student-centered experience in the county, and I have seen how Branden’s approach to advising and serving his students helps realize this vision,” Moore wrote in her nomination letter. “In fact, there is a marked difference in the culture of the Industrial and Systems Engineering department since Branden joined our team in 2020. He has been instrumental in providing students with a voice and advocating for needed changes in the department.”

Elizabeth Gowan, academic advisor for the Department of Computer Science and Software, supported his nomination with a letter that stated that Farmer has a charisma that makes him the perfect academic advisor.

“He is a strong advocate for his students and for fellow advisors,” she said. “If he sees a problem, he works diligently to find a solution that benefits all involved.”

Layla Araiinejad, a senior in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, strongly supported Farmer’s nomination. Farmer was her advisor during the COVID pandemic when classes were only offered online.

“One of the most devastating aspects of having classes online during COVID was the lack of interaction between professors and students,” Araiinejad said. “I felt as though I never really got to know any of my professors and honestly, I felt disconnected from the department. However, my advising appointments were different because those appointments were some of the only individual meetings that I had during my junior year and the remainder of my sophomore year. Every appointment I have ever had with Mr. Farmer has gone wonderfully. He is one of the most enthusiastic people I know and even through Zoom, he radiates positive energy. Despite being on Zoom, Mr. Farmer still makes the effort to get to know his students while advocating for their success.”

Farmer was presented with the Excellence in Advising award at the regional NACADA conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 11.