University’s Outstanding Primary Advisor a guiding light for electrical and computer engineering students
Published: Jan 6, 2025 8:00 AM
By Joe McAdory
Elizabeth Gowan is a counselor during students’ storms of life, keeps students on track for graduation, assists with course scheduling, room scheduling, internships, study abroad programs and scholarships.
And in February, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s (ECE) academic advisor and student service coordinator will be recognized by the Auburn University Provost’s Office as Outstanding Primary Advisor for 2024.
“With an unwavering passion for making a difference in the lives of our electrical and computer engineering students, Elizabeth has been a guiding light throughout their academic journeys,” ECE Chair Mark Nelms said. “Her dedication and support have been instrumental in shaping the success stories of countless students, making them invaluable assets to our academic community and the engineering profession beyond Auburn.”
Gowan, who is automatically nominated for the National Academic Advising Association Region 4 Excellence in Advising Award, relishes the opportunity to make an impact on students’ academic and professional pursuits, setting them up for career success.
“What sets engineering students apart for success is the collaborative effort between the students, advisors and faculty,” Gowan said. “It's not just us telling them, ‘You need to do X, Y and Z,’ but they are buying into that. We're working together.
“It's the teaching that goes on outside the classroom that we see from the student development standpoint. They may be getting their engineering degrees in the classrooms, but we are building them to go be successful beyond Auburn and that's why I have become such an advocate for high-impact programs such as internships, co-ops and research and study abroad opportunities. We live in a global economy. Therefore, we need to prepare our students to go and work in that environment.”
Take Katie Wolfe, for example. Wolfe, who earned bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and theater this past spring, studied abroad at Germany’s Technical University of Applied Sciences Wurzburg-Schweinfurt in 2024.
“Elizabeth Gowan is hands down one of the most impactful people I’ve ever met,” she said. “She’s not just my advisor; she’s my biggest supporter in everything I do. Whether it was helping me navigate the chaos of pursuing dual degrees or traveling with me to Germany for my senior capstone, Elizabeth is always there with creative solutions and unwavering encouragement. She genuinely cares about her students, not just as engineers but as people, and she’s always pushing us to think bigger and aim higher. She’s been a mentor, an advocate and a cheerleader for me and so many others. Auburn is beyond lucky to have her in the ECE Department.”
Gowan’s office isn’t like most offices. It’s a comfort zone.
“That's why my office was recently remodeled,” she said. “I want to make it a comfortable, safe place the students. Many students carry problems that we don't see or understand. Until you build that relationship, we think, oh ‘they're just here taking classes.’ But we have students trying to work full time. We have students who sometimes don't know where their next meal is going to come from. There’s much to navigate.”
For Gowan, it’s not just about building students. It’s also about building life-long relationships.
“This job has allowed me to remain in contact with students long after they have graduated,” she said. “It’s always rewarding to see what they go on to accomplish. Even on the difficult days, reflecting on those success stories makes it so worthwhile.”
Gowan will be recognized among select peer advisors on Feb. 4 at the annual Provost Advising Awards Ceremony in the Brown-Kopel Center.
Media Contact: , jem0040@auburn.edu, 334.844.3447
Elizabeth Gowan has served as advisor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering since 2018.
