Avtgis Honored with Academic Mentor Award

Each year, students are invited to nominate Ashland University faculty members for a prestigious Academic Mentor Award. Faculty members who are nominated have served as mentors to their students and have provided a track of excellent educational experiences for their students that include guidance, challenges, and opportunities above and beyond the classroom. These mentors have helped students to achieve not only academic excellence, but have been counselors to these students throughout their years at Ashland University. This year, senior Nell Cronin nominated Dr. Theodore Avtgis, chair and professor of communication studies, as her mentor.

Avtgis was one of eight faculty mentors honored at the 29th Annual Academic Mentor Awards recognition luncheon held on January 30 at the John C. Myers Convocation Center.
 
 "It truly is an honor to be nominated and selected for the Ashland University Academic Mentor Award by Nell. Nell was the first student I recruited to AU. Over the last four years we have worked on many projects and I consider her my academic daughter. To see how far she has come in that time is the biggest reward. The fact that she attributes even a small amount of her success to my influence is truly humbling," says Avtgis.

Nell Cronin is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a senior double majoring in public relations and strategic communication and health and risk communication.
She presented Avtgis with an engraved silver plate and her nomination letter during the luncheon.

Avtgis, who came to AU in 2011, received his Ph.D. from Kent State University in 1999 and has assisted on the faculty of St. John’s University, West Virginia University, and the University of Akron. He has presented over 115 conference papers and has had the opportunity of publishing over 55 peer-reviewed book chapters and articles.