Advisors at UIS

Advising at UIS

New students with fewer than 30 credit hours will be advised by freshmen advisors, located in the Center for Academic Success and Advising. Transfer students with 30 or more credit hours but are still deciding on a major are also advised by freshmen advisors. If you have successfully completed 30 or more credit hours, you are assigned to a College or Faculty Advisor within your major. Regardless of your number of hours you should plan to meet with your advisor prior to registering in April and November and to maintain good communication with them throughout the year as an integral part of your success team at UIS.

Tarah Sweeting-Trotter, Director of Center for Academic Success and Advising

Dedicated to advising at UIS for 14 years

Tarah was born and raised right here in Springfield, IL. She has earned a B.A. in English from MacMurray College, a M.A. in English from the University of Illinois- Springfield, and a PhD in English from St. Louis University. In addition, Tarah holds a certificate in Women and Gender Studies from St. Louis University. When asked what she loves most about advising, Tarah replied, “I love watching students grow and transform through educational experiences at the college level. It’s exciting to watch students gain confidence as their dreams take shape.”

Tarah’s best advice for college students: “Don’t give up. Use your resources. And tap into your academic success team in CASA!”

Lori Benedict, Undergraduate Academic Advisor

Dedicated to advising at UIS for 11 years

Lori is from Clinton, Illinois. She has earned a B.A. in Psychology and Teacher Education from California State University. She earned a M.A. in Counseling, and a PhD in Higher Education Leadership from Capella University. In addition, she currently holds a certificate in Diversity Management and Mental Health Counseling from Capella University. When asked what she loves the most about advising, she answered, “I love advising because it offers me opportunities to connect with students, help them learn, and to witness their intellectual and personal growth. I am offered the chance to be there to provide encouragement, connect them to opportunities and assistance that they might have missed and to celebrate the successes along the way.

Lori’s best advice for college students: “Stay the path, even when its rocky and uphill, it is worth it in the end. College, or life in general, is about follow through and tenacity, you learn more from your mistakes than you do from your successes, if you pay attention to the lesson it provided.”

Patrick Anderson, Undergraduate Academic Advisor

Dedicated to advising at UIS for 4 years.

Patrick was born and raised in Honduras, Central America. He earned a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Geography from Louisiana State University. After earning his degrees, he returned to Central America to teach high school for several years. During his stint as a Social Studies teacher, Patrick was awarded a Scholarship for an M.A. in Education, which he completed in 2004. Now Patrick serves as one of CASA’s academic advisors.

Patrick's best advise for college students: "Trust the process, trust yourself, but do the work."

Mae Noll, Undergraduate Academic Advisor

Dedicated to advising at UIS for 15 years

Mae Noll is from Springfield Illinois. Mae earned her Bachelor’s degree from Illinois College. In addition, she earned her M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Mae also holds a TEP Secondary Education Licensure from UIS. When asked what she loves most about advising, she answered, “I love helping students discover the academic path that fuels their goals and passions and seeing them grow to appreciate UIS and make the most of their time here.”

Mae’s best advice for college students: “When things seem overwhelming, sit down and write out lists and timelines. Every epic journey begins with small steps.”

Destiney Boyd, STARS Program Advisor

Destiney was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a B.A. in English and Legal Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield. She also earned a M.A. in English at UIS as well. In addition to advising, Destiney also serves as an adjunct English Instructor at UIS. When asked what she loves most about working in higher education, she replied, “I love using my knowledge and life experiences to motivate students to graduate. I want all students that cross my path to see me as their #1 cheerleader.”

Destiney’s best advice for college students: “Study hard and network even harder! Professional references/connections are just as important as obtaining your degree.”

Asia Scott, Assistant Director for Summer Scholars

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