The 2023 Emerging Leader in Academic Advising Award was awarded to Kate Boutilier of Illinois State University’s School of Communication on March 1. Boutilier has been providing academic guidance to students for five years. She also collaborates with the University to support recruitment efforts and to connect students with opportunities to maximize their experience in the School of Communication.
The Emerging Leader in Academic Advising Award was established to recognize an academic advisor who provides admirable academic advising and leadership skills in the profession. The award acknowledges advisors who exhibit strong interpersonal skills, a caring attitude, collaboration with colleagues across campus, and a drive for continued professional development.
“Kate cultivates meaningful relationships with her students and provides them with individualized attention. Furthermore, she follows up with her students to check in and make sure they are using the resources that were discussed and actively working toward their success,” said Boutilier’s supervisor Elizabeth Chupp, director of Academic Advising for Illinois State, who nominated her for the award.
Illinois State is special to Boutilier because she is an alum, having received her bachelor’s degree in public relations. She chose Illinois State because it was the perfect combination of a smaller campus community with larger access to resources, institutions, internships, and involvement opportunities.
After graduation, she started her career in nonprofit and healthcare organizations. She first worked in the Foundation Department at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington to support its first-ever capital campaign. In this role, she worked in event planning and provided logistical support for fundraising events.
Boutilier and her family then relocated to Minnesota, where she worked for the Mayo Clinic. In this role, she served as a medical secretary for a team of nurses and as an administrative assistant for the director of the center. She also served as a super user, a lead guide for her unit as it transferred to a new medical records system.
When her family moved back to the Bloomington area, Boutilier began her work as an academic advisor in the School of Communication. Since 2018, she has advised students majoring in public relations, journalism, and mass media. Her experiences and achievements have allowed her to see the importance of communication.
“It is a highly sought-out skill for a reason, and it’s fascinating to see how the approach to and results of effective communication benefit each field or industry,” Boutilier said. “ISU has been such a special place for me personally and professionally, and it was always my wish to return. It has done so much for me, and I am honored to work with the next generation of Redbirds.”
