Academic Advisers - College of Arts and Sciences

Quick Questions for Advisers

Please refer to the CAS Advising General Information section to get answers to the most commonly asked questions by students.
You can identify your assigned academic adviser on your MySAIL account. In the My Details box at the top of the page. You will see a blue ADVISER link right under your class standing. This link will give you the name and email of your assigned adviser.
You are always welcome to use our general advising office email at casadv@oakland.edu for answers to quick and general questions not found in General Information. You can expect an answer within 2 business days.
Please call (248) 370-4567 to schedule appointments. We are unable to schedule appointments via e-mail.

Professional Academic Advisers

	Shannon Esselink, M.A. Director of Advising Services All CAS Majors Shannon is the Director of Advising Services for the College of Arts & Sciences and Pre-Professional Advising. She has been in higher education for over 20 years. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Masters in Organizational Management. Shannon strives to provide the best advising services to support OU students in achieving their goals.
	Jason Taylor Assistant Director of Advising Services
	Matthew Prentice, M.A., L.L.P.C. Senior Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Specialty: Music, Theatre, & Dance Matt is a Professional Academic Adviser who advises all CAS majors and specializes in Music, Theatre and Dance. He earned a Bachelor of Art in Psychology from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Oakland University. Matt has been advising students at OU for over 7 years. Matt wants to encourage students to make the most of their college experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
	Jim Bilinski Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Specialty: Music, Theatre, & Dance Jim is a Professional Academic Adviser who advises all CAS majors and specializes in Music, Theatre, and Dance. He earned a Bachelor of Science and a secondary education teaching certificate from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Arts from Oakland University.
	Andreea Duarte Academic Adviser All CAS Majors
	Meagan Richard, M.A. Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Meagan earned her Bachelor of Applied Arts in Broadcasting and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University and Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, with a focus in Student Affairs, from Eastern Michigan University. She believes that the key ingredient to a student's success story is support from faculty and staff. She encourages students to get involved, on and off campus, to build a solid foundation for their future careers.
	Nancy Gursin Part-time Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Nancy is a Professional Academic Adviser who advises all CAS majors. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Valparaiso University and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Oakland University. Nancy has been advising at OU since 2011. She enjoys hearing about her students' passions and future plans, and feels privileged to support them in achieving their goals.
	Andreea Bordeianu, Ph.D. Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Andreea is a professional academic adviser who advises all CAS majors. She earned her B.S. in Educational Psychology from Al.I. Cuza University of Iasi, Romania, and earned M.A. in Counseling and Education Specialist as well as a Ph.D in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. She believes college is a unique transformational experience in one’s life. Through supporting students to discover their own professional and personal path, she encourages them to become leaders in local and global communities.
	Annie Hegedus, M.Ed. Senior Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Annie is a Professional Academic Adviser who advises all CAS majors. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Education in Higher Ed Leadership from Oakland University. Annie works to help empower students to reach their goals and be successful both during their time at OU and after graduation.
	Blake Bonkowski, M.A. Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Blake completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with minors in Communication and Women & Gender Studies at Oakland University, and a Master of Arts in College Counseling at Eastern Michigan University. As an OU student, he was an Orientation Group Leader (OGL), SAFE Training Panelist, and student organization leader. He also worked in Housing, the Center for Multicultural Initiatives, and the First Year Advising Center. His education and training focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, with a focus in LGBTQ+ identities and experiences. He aims to provide each student with a unique advising experience that is built around their specific strengths and needs.
	Terria Crank Academic Adviser All CAS Majors
	Chris Mocny, M.A. Academic Adviser All CAS Majors Chris is a Professional Academic Adviser who advises all CAS majors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Central Michigan University and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership-Higher Education Student Affairs and a Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising from Eastern Michigan University.

Faculty Advisers

Each Department in the College of Arts and Sciences has faculty advisers who students should also visit. If a student has a question about a particular program, he/she can seek out the faculty adviser in that department. View Faculty Adviser Referral information.

Some departments have specific faculty that advise students seeking internships. If you are looking to complete an internship for your major and/or minor, please contact your internship coordinator.