Nursing Advisor Receives USF Undergraduate Advising Award

A University of South Florida College of Nursing student advisor who specializes in academic advising for pre-nursing undergraduate students was honored on Nov. 22 for her excellence, innovation, and effectiveness in working with students.

Rebecca Gubernick received the Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Award at the 2019 USF Faculty Honors and Awards Reception at the Interdisciplinary Sciences Building.

“I am truly honored to have been selected and able to showcase new initiatives and dedication to academic success. I am inherently motivated by the growth and success of my students, and I hope to continue to contribute to the field,” Gubernick said.

Rebecca Gubernick received the Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Award at the 2019 USF Faculty Honors and Awards on Nov. 22.

Gubernick was recognized for her commitment to excellence in undergraduate advising and for her student outreach efforts.  She was described as an academic advisor with tremendous work ethic, a caring personality, and dedication to student success.

“My advising practice includes being approachable, professional, and efficient while also empowering the student to be successful,” Gubernick wrote in her 26-page nomination portfolio.

She highlighted her accomplishments in advising over the past year, including collaborating with Career Services to hold several interview preparation workshops, which more than 175 pre-nursing students attended.

These workshops helped students prepare for nursing admissions interviews by discussing what to wear and going over common interview questions.

As a certified health professions advisor at USF, Gubernick also started offering Career Conversations meetings — student advising appointments aimed at helping students denied a spot in the competitive nursing program. These meet-ups gave Gubernick a chance to discuss alternate health-related majors at USF and contributed to the university’s retention efforts.

In October, Gubernick gave a presentation on counseling and advising at the National Academic Advising Association’s annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky. In March, she presented at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators on “Appreciative Advising through the Lens of Mental Health Counseling Techniques.”

Ashley Ros, an undergraduate admissions advisor at the College of Nursing, praised Gubernick for how she goes “above and beyond to care for the whole student.”

“I can’t think of someone more deserving of this honor,” Ros wrote. “Becky has brought wonderful energy into the College of Nursing and her unique educational background in counseling and guidance has made a lasting impact on her students.”

The award comes with a one-time cash bonus of $2,000.

Story by Elizabeth L. Brown, USF College of Nursing