At the end of June, Susan Borgers will conclude her 22-year tenure in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. She currently serves as manager lead for undergraduate advising for the Polytechnic campus and online programs in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, or SCAI.
During her long and productive career, Susan was continually one of SCAI’s highest-rated advisors. She is the recipient of the SCAI Staff Performance Award, the Fulton Difference Award and the Global Community for Academic Advising Excellence in Advising Award.
“Susan was my mentor when I joined the advising team,” says Allison Curran, associate director of Academic Services for SCAI. “Under her leadership, the Polytechnic campus and online advising team has become seasoned veterans who continue to flourish and grow. They have learned from the best and are primed and ready to do all that they can to follow Susan’s stellar example.”
Following work at Ohio State University, Susan joined the ASU team in 2002, first serving in the engineering dean’s office before moving onto an advising role for the industrial engineering program. After a reorganization that merged industrial engineering with the School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering (later restyled as SCAI), she assumed a more challenging role supporting many large programs and inspiring colleagues with her positive attitude.
During the transition, Susan displayed the characteristic for which she would always be known — leadership. Even before being officially installed in a supervisory position, she assisted fellow advisors, becoming a mentor for new team members. Thanks to her warm personality, she was considered highly approachable by both students and colleagues. She also developed a reputation as an “advisor detective,” working hard to resolve special cases and encouraging others to develop similar skills.
As SCAI continued to rapidly expand and develop, Susan assumed many different roles, playing a pivotal part in the development of the engineering management and online programs. In 2016, thanks to the growth of the software engineering program, SCAI’s activities on the Polytechnic campus began to require their own advising office and team lead. Susan took to the challenge, shifting into a management position overseeing the new site and creating a model for engineering online advising.
“Susan has contributed so much to the establishment and growth of the software engineering program,” says Associate Professor Kevin Gary. “I know I could not have succeeded when I was program chair without her.”
In her post-advising life, Susan plans to relax by golfing and to continue her musical endeavors. She is an accomplished flutist, performing regularly with her group, the Central Arizona Flute Ensemble.
Ross Maciejewski, director of the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, says Susan will be greatly missed by students and staff alike.
“On behalf of all of us at SCAI, I thank Susan for her truly outstanding efforts over the years,” Maciejewski says. “Even as she moves on to her next chapter, Susan’s contributions to the school will remain, most especially in the inspiration she provided to others.”