Cheryl A. Tillotson

’96 BA Psychology, ’08 M.Ed. Educational Leadership
Patrick T. Smith Achievement in Service Award

It’s not difficult to justify Cheryl Tillotson’s selection for the 2022 Patrick T. Smith Achievement in Service Award. What is: Knowing where to start when ticking off all the things that validate her worthiness.

For more than a quarter century, Tillotson has served UNLV as a tireless academic advisor (including as director of the College of Liberal Arts’ Wilson Advising Center since 2017); mentor, instructor and administrator; volunteer board and committee member (including serving on the Academic Advising Council since 2001 and the UNLV Commencement Committee since 2002); and proud and engaged alumna (as an active member of the UNLV Alumni Association).

Throw in a lengthy list of professional awards — from UNLV Academic Advisor of the Year (2007-08) to the 2010 Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Advising given by the National Academic Advising Association — and it’s clear that Tillotson is highly deserving of yet another prestigious honor.

In fact, one might say it’s overdue.

Michael Green, a history professor and the 2020 recipient of the Patrick T. Smith Achievement in Service Award, said in a letter supporting Tillotson’s nomination, “I was honored and humbled to receive this award. And I can say with confidence that Cheryl deserves it far more than I did. … To be honest, I have felt that I have a good record of service to UNLV and the community. Then I read Cheryl’s [résumé]. I defy anyone to exceed what she has done for us all.”

Certainly thousands of students who have completed the sometimes-fraught journey from nervous UNLV freshman to proud Rebel graduate would concur. As an academic advisor who has held interim, associate, assistant director, and director positions, Tillotson has been an advocate for student development and success since shortly after she earned her UNLV undergraduate degree in psychology in the mid-1990s. 

That advocacy doesn’t end on commencement day, either, as Tillotson has helped countless graduates transition to the workforce.

For much of the past decade, Tillotson has mostly served UNLV College of Liberal Arts students, initially as assistant director of the college’s Wilson Advising Center before rising to associate director and her current role as director. Previously, Tillotson’s passion for student achievement benefited a broader spectrum of Rebels, as she held several academic advising posts with what’s now known as the Academic Success Center (formerly University College and, prior to that, the Student Development Center).

Throughout her career, Tillotson has remained committed to professional development. In addition to returning to campus as a graduate student — she earned her master’s in educational leadership in 2008 — Tillotson has both attended and presented at multiple workshops, conferences, seminars and training symposiums. She is an active member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, including serving as vice president of the UNLV chapter from 2011- 2019.

“For 27 years at UNLV, Cheryl has been dedicated to helping students help themselves, and in turn help the school and the greater Las Vegas area,” Green said in his letter of recommendation. “Not only has Cheryl achieved much in service, she has done more than anyone I can think of to help others achieve [as well].”