Valerie Brunell, an academic adviser in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NS&M), has received the President’s Undergraduate Adviser of the Year award.

Brunell was selected from among 26 advisers who were nominated for the honor by UT Dallas undergraduate students. The distinction carries a $1,000 award.

“I am very honored to be recognized with this award, especially after this past year. For a time during the fall, NS&M had only two advisers for 1,600 students. It was a very challenging time, but luckily we have amazing students who were patient during our transition,” Brunell said. “We are now fully staffed with five advisers who all love working with students.”

Brunell, who received her master’s in chemistry from the University of California, Irvine, advises students and teaches sections of a first-year rhetoric course.

“Valerie has been a leader of the NS&M advisers, providing continuity, coordination and leadership during a period of rapid growth in student numbers and a period of transition and improvement in the advising office,” said Dr. Dennis Miller, associate dean of undergraduate studies and associate professor of molecular and cell biology. “In addition, she has developed a great rapport with students and takes a personal interest in each advisee.”

Students praised Brunell as “always helpful,” “very understanding of the college stress students deal with” and “distinctively clear and interested” in what students hope to achieve academically.

“I love working with university students and helping them navigate through the various requirements in order to complete their degrees. I also enjoy speaking with students about their options after they finish their undergraduate degrees, whether that is a certain career or continuing on to graduate school,” Brunell said.

She was recognized during the annual Honors Convocation on May 14.