Riedesel Gives Back to Advising Community with Award

Dr. Charles Riedesel
Dr. Charles Riedesel

Chuck Riedesel always strives to go above and beyond his duties as an academic advisor, in part by rewarding others who do the same.

Last year, the Chief Undergraduate Advisor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering created a new award for University of Nebraska–Lincoln academic advisors. The Dr. Charles Riedesel Outstanding Academic Advising Award is a $1000 award that recognizes an exceptional faculty or staff member who directly delivers advising services to undergraduates. The 2017 award will be presented at the University Honors Convocation in April.

Riedesel has been recognized previously for his own outstanding advising and was the recipient of the James V. Griesen Exemplary Service to Students Award in 2009.

“It was an honor to get that, and as time went along, I thought, ‘I want to turn this around,’” said Riedesel. “I no longer wanted to be the one doing the applying but the one doing the awarding.”

Two years ago, Riedesel was invited to serve on a selection committee for a smaller, internal advising award. Evaluating the applications made him realize how many others shared his dedication and passion for serving students. He felt they deserved something bigger and worked with the University Foundation to make the award a larger, more prestigious one that would be given annually to a remarkable member of the university advising community.

“I value people in advising, and I think in many cases they’ve not been adequately recognized,” said Riedesel. “By having a substantial award and having it presented in an environment like the Honors Convocation, I think that will help bring some recognition.”

Riedesel said in the future he’d like to be able to create another award for advisors of student organizations to acknowledge their additional efforts and benefit the groups they serve. He also plans to continue to go the extra mile to support his CSE students in any way possible.

“I just keep trying to do the best I can,” Riedesel said. “If I can find a new service to give to students and give them a whole experience, then that’s what I want to do.”

More details at: http://academicaffairs.unl.edu/honors-development/awards/advising