Jennifer Bradford wins 2021 Excellence in Graduate Advising Award

Congratulations to Texas A&M Biology’s Program Coordinator for Graduate Advising, Jennifer Bradford, winner of the 2021 Excellence in Graduate Advising Award from the Office for Student Success! The purpose of the Excellence in Graduate Advising Award is to recognize academic advisors who help to create and nurture an environment in which highly qualified, diverse graduate and professional students can thrive. Such individuals demonstrate knowledge, care, empathy, and advocacy for graduate and professional students. Jennifer and other Office of Student Success award winners were recognized at UAC Awards Breakfast on May 11, 2021.

Jennifer’s nominators felt she truly exemplified the aspects of the Excellence in Graduate Advising Award, stating, “Beyond departmental paperwork and requirements, Jennifer expresses genuine interest in us and looks for ways to bring the department together. Jennifer initiated and organizes an annual department welcome social and kickball game, bringing the whole department together for a competition between faculty/staff and graduate students/post docs…With Jennifer as an advisor, our program logistics are easier and more comprehensible due to her experience, genuine care and concern, and skill in navigating the department and university offices. Her communication, support, and advice help us manage the many challenges of graduate school. She is extremely deserving of this award; our graduate experience at TAMU would be inferior without her”.

Other nominators felt she specifically exemplified the tenants of the award from her work during the multiple crises facing members of the TAMU community, saying, “The COVID crisis impacted every single graduate student in the department of biology and Jennifer made it a priority to contact and schedule a virtual meeting to assess our wellbeing. Additionally, the recent winter storm impacted many individuals and in these unprecedented times efforts by Jennifer to provide housing, food, and transport were inspiring… To say that Jennifer is deserving of the Excellence in Graduate Advising Award undersells her presence in the department of biology”.

Dr. Rene Garcia, Associate Head for Graduate Affairs, had this to say about Jennifer’s outstanding work for the graduate students in TAMU Biology, “I have worked with Jennifer for 4 years and she undeniably impresses upon me that her activities and passion for service to the students of Texas A&M far surpass the job description of a Graduate Coordinator. I am familiar with Jennifer’s administrative knowledge and efficiency, and I can comment that she is she is fiercely proactive in initiating and carrying out independent activities that promote career enhancement and morale building for the graduate students she serve!”. Congratulations again to Jennifer Bradford on this well-deserved award!