UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Charlene Paquette, undergraduate student services coordinator and academic adviser in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, has received the 2024 Community of Advising Excellence Award from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Paquette has been an adviser at Penn State for almost 15 years, working in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, the College of the Liberal Arts, and the College of Health and Human Development before joining the College of Agricultural Sciences in 2017.

“I appreciate Charlene’s leadership of the undergraduate advising office in AESE,” said David Abler, interim department head. “Charlene's leadership, vision and passion for our advising team’s work have been key factors in our achievements. I want to thank Charlene for guiding us toward excellence.”

After joining the department, Paquette implemented a professional advising center staffed by two full-time advisers and an administrative assistant. In addition to advising students and managing the advising center's daily operations, Paquette also teaches the first-year seminar, AGSCI 100, each fall semester.

Paquette works with three program coordinators in four majors  — agribusiness management, agricultural sciences, agricultural and extension education, and community, environment, and development — and four minors. She assists with the graduation process, student recruitment and new student orientation and has served on various committees, including the department’s newly formed diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging committee.

“Charlene is always willing to help faculty, staff and students to ensure that our students are provided the best advising support possible,” said John Ewing, undergraduate program coordinator and professor of agricultural and extension education. “She dedicates an immense amount of time and energy to guiding students through their academic careers. She finds potential solutions when encountering new situations in our advising roles.”