McMicken Professor Presented Sarah Grant Barber Faculty Advisor of the Year Award

The University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Academic Advising Association (UCUAADA) receives nominees each year for the Sarah Grant Barber Outstanding Award for professional advisor, faculty advisor, and advising administrator.

This award crosses all disciplines at UC, and McMicken is proud to house this year's faculty advisor award winner Elissa Yancey.

Yancey joined the faculty at UC in the fall of 2006, bringing 20 years of professional journalism experience to the diverse classes she teaches

“I enjoy all of the classes I teach for different reasons. This fall I get to teach a class on a topic close to my heart—environmental journalism. Because I’ve spent years studying environmental issues and working with local sources on the topic, I can share that with students and give them glimpses into the vastness of the untold stories in our own backyard. That, to me, is pretty awesome,” said Yancey.

Since each journalism professor advises students, Yancey spent the last seven years learning how to educate students and help them understand the ins and outs of being a journalism student. While she may have a grasp on the role as an advisor, that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

“Students have so many wonderful opportunities here at UC, sometimes it’s challenging to help them narrow their options and make the choices that are best for them at that particular moment in their lives. At the same time, students have so many responsibilities both in and out of class, with work and family responsibilities high on the list. It can be a challenge to offer the support they need and to help them navigate their journey,” said Yancey.

Yancey manages these obstacles well considering many of her students look forward to her classes and continue to take them throughout their collegiate careers.

“She is an awesome professor. She really wants you to get a lot out of your classes and encourages you to go outside of your comfort zone. I wasn't sure about taking her UC Forward class this past spring because I was nervous on how it would work and if I would do well. I decided to go for it and it was worth it. I'm really happy I'm taking another class with her in the fall and I hope to take many more from her!” said journalism student Alana Frew.

Candidates for each category of the Sarah Grant Barber Outstanding Award must embody the creativity, optimism and passion of the late DAAP academic advisor Sarah Barber of whom this award was named after.

 “When I first heard I got the Sarah Grant Barber Award, I was sitting at the luncheon! I knew I had been nominated and felt like that was a huge honor. So when they called my name, I was stunned! I felt so very very lucky and filled with awe—not kidding! I was also instantly proud to represent all the amazing students I’ve had the opportunity to learn alongside and the other advisers in Journalism who do this same challenging and rewarding work every day,” said Yancey.