The importance of academic advisors
Many undergraduates consider their academic advisor one of the most important people on their path to completing a degree. Academic advisors guide students through requirements, prerequisites, and internships. They also help students explore animal science careers and connect them with resources such as research labs and livestock facilities. Building a strong relationship with an advisor helps animal science students make informed decisions and optimize their educational and career prospects.
Welcoming new advisors
We are pleased to announce that in October 2025, Nancy Hernandez and Lisa Hunter, two highly qualified academic advisors, joined our team to fill Scott Brown’s position. Their expertise will allow us to provide students with more personalized support and guidance as we continue to support their success.
Nancy Hernandez is a first-generation college graduate from Rupert, Idaho. She earned both her BS in child development and family relations and her MS in family and consumer sciences at the University of Idaho. During her graduate research, she focused on Latina entrepreneurs in Idaho. She is well equipped to support families with her first-generation, multilingual perspective.
During graduate school, Hernandez discovered her passion for advising. She started as a part-time retention counselor, helping students find essential resources for their success. Throughout, she has remained dedicated and committed to supporting students.
“I really enjoy helping people find resources so they’re aware of what’s available,” Hernandez explained. “It feels like putting together a puzzle, matching academic options with social activities to support student success.”
Prior to her position in Animal Sciences, Hernandez provided advising and support to students for five years. Her work included serving in the TRIO Student Support Services program, a federally funded program designed to assist first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities to successfully complete their post-secondary education. Similarly, for students in Animal Sciences, she is committed to providing support and showing them the resources they need to reach their academic goals.
Her advice to students is straightforward: remain open-minded, keep learning, and stay innovative. She also urges students to explore career options, attend department events, pursue internships, and seek guidance from faculty or advisors. “Investigate all career options. Know some jobs are unique,” she says. “The Department of Animal Sciences has a supportive team of advisors ready to help you succeed in your career path.”
Beyond her career, Hernandez values spending time walking, watching movies, and making memories with her family and their two Chihuahuas.
Lisa Hunter, a proud Cougar alumna, earned her BS in kinesiology from WSU in 2000. She began supporting students at WSU in 1998 at the College of Communication, serving as an academic coordinator until September 2011. Hunter then joined the Carson College of Business, where she oversaw the dual degree program with Cesar Ritz Colleges & the School of Hospitality Business Management, and served as registrar at WSU Everett until 2025. During this time, her efforts were recognized with the WSU Administrative Professional award in May 2021 and the Outstanding Staff award in the Carson College of Business in 2020-2021.
For nearly 30 years at WSU, Hunter has focused on guiding students through academic requirements, helping them discover suitable paths to their career goals, and fostering a sense of belonging. She is adept at navigating the university’s academic policies, has strong listening skills, and provides students with honest, timely feedback.
Her advice is straightforward: “Do things to help you understand if you really enjoy your chosen career path and to bring you closer to your goals.”
During her free time, Hunter is active in her Idaho community, volunteering as an EMT and serving on the Troy School Board. In addition, she likes gardening and spending time outdoors. Meanwhile, her husband works as an engineer at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Moscow, Idaho, and their grown children are building their careers in the area.