Summer 2021
Lisa Villa
August 2021 | Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical EngineeringWhat do you enjoy most about working with students?
I enjoy interacting with students in person and getting to know them. I like watching them grow academically and helping them along the way when they need assistance or advice. It’s nice to work with them from the beginning until they graduate and to see how much they grow and progress.
What is one fun fact about you?
I am an “extreme couponer” and love to teach others to coupon; it’s a hobby that I enjoy a lot. I also have two fur babies, a Great Dane named Dollie and a Holland lop named Lucci, that are like my children. I also love everything tie-dyed in clothing; I think it is so pretty.
What advice do you have for our Aggies this semester?
1) Make sure that that you stay on top of your courses
2) Should you need help, please reach out to the professors.
3) Please check your email, as the academic advising office sends out information that you need to know.
What advice do you have for new academic advisors at Texas A&M?
Please reach out to other advisors on campus if you need any help, as we are all in this together. Making connections with other advisors can make your job a lot easier. The key to being successful in advising is taking the time to listen to your students; sometimes it is hard for them to express their concerns.
Vanessa Breslin
July 2021 | College of NursingWhat do you enjoy most about working with students?
The most fulfilling part of my job is connecting with students. I love providing support and encouragement to students and prospective students, even in just small ways. I truly enjoy helping students throughout their entire college experience including the bumps they may encounter along the way. We all learn by the mistakes we make and our ability to overcome hardships. I hope all our students know that we are here to help them and I hope that they never hesitate to reach out to their advisor.
What is one fun fact about you?
I’m a proud mom of two girls who are 12 and 24 – many of my students do not know that I have a daughter who is older than them! My youngest is very involved in ice hockey so I spend a lot of time at the ice rink. I am also an avid runner and have a goal of running my first marathon this year.
What advice do you have for our Aggies this semester?
Get involved and get connected! It’s important now more than ever. Find a student organization that supports your passions and join one now.
What advice do you have for new academic advisors at Texas A&M?
Link up with an experienced advisor that can mentor you and join advising groups like the UAC. Building an advising community and having someone to contact with questions is invaluable.
Catherine Young
June 2021 | Mays Business SchoolWhat do you enjoy most about working with students?
It is very rewarding when students leave my office or Zoom room and tell me that they’re much less stressed than when they arrived. It’s great being able to be a source of knowledge but also compassion for students trying to navigate a stressful situation.
What is one fun fact about you?
I’m an avid embroiderer, and it’s rare to catch me without a needle and thread.
What advice do you have for our Aggies this semester?
Bookmark Texas A&M University's academic calendar on your favorite browser and check it often. The first and last days of classes, Q-drop and withdrawal deadlines, key registration dates, the schedule for finals, and more are all listed there FAR in advance, and being well-informed on all of those things will save you a lot of stress (and will save your advisor a lot of panicked emails).
What advice do you have for new academic advisors at Texas A&M?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! We tell that to our students all the time, and as advisors, we must normalize double-checking without shame when we’re unsure of something, so that we can both give our students the best advice and grow as advisors. I'm grateful for my amazing advising team at Mays Business School that really emphasized this to me.