Jo Wagner
Lead Academic Advisor, Academic Records and Communications
Fellow, Office for Advising Development
Office of Student Affairs, College of Applied Health Sciences
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Contact
Building & Room:
349A PEB
Address:
901 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Email:
About
Majors I advise:
AHS-Undeclared, Disability and Human Development, Health Information Management, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Rehabilitation Sciences
While in college, I experienced:
I was the first in my family to go to college, though my mom later went back to school in her 50s and earned her degree (so if she could do it, so can you!). Like many first-generation students, I had to figure out the process as I went. I was someone who coasted through high school and got good grades, but that didn't translate into actually knowing how to study. College was a rude awakening.
My path wasn't linear: I started and stopped school, changed majors, changed schools, and struggled with the transition to college. I also worked full-time while earning my degree, which meant learning how to balance school, work, and the realities of adult life.
Those experiences shaped the way I support students now: with empathy, a clear understanding that success doesn't always follow a straight line, and the firm belief that messy paths still count as progress.
Higher education background:
I have worked in a variety of roles in admissions, recruitment, advising, and student services. I have held roles from entry-level to leadership to everywhere in between. That range gives me a clear understanding of how the whole system fits together and how to advocate effectively for students.
Interests and hobbies:
In my free time, I love exploring Chicago’s neighborhoods, taking my golden retriever on adventures, and traveling when I can. I enjoy yoga, creative projects, and trying new experiences just for the fun of it.
Top life-defining moments in higher education:
Some of my most defining moments in higher education happen in the day-to day: watching students walk across the stage at graduation knowing everything they had to overcome to get there, helping students let go of perfectionism and realize they don't have to have everything figured out to make progress, and celebrating the wins - big and small. Those moments remind me why this work matters.
Notable Honors
2023, Outstanding Practitioner Award: Advising, University of Illinois Chicago
2016, Provost’s Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award, University of Illinois Chicago
Education
New York Institute of Technology, B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies
Drexel University, M.S., Higher Education - Student Development and Affairs
Second City Training Center, Completed Improv Levels 1-5 (of 5)
University of Illinois Chicago, M.S., Marketing, (Expected May 2026)
Professional Memberships
National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
Selected Presentations
Presenter: Dissecting Student Success: Anatomy and Physiology at UIC, 11th Annual Advisor Week, University of Illinois Chicago, March 2023
Panelist: Ignite your interests and inspirations: Getting involved and finding opportunities, 12th Annual Advisor Week, University of Illinois Chicago, March 2024