Undergraduate Advisor of the Year

Hailey King

Hailey King earned her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Oklahoma State University and her Master of Education degree in higher education administration from the University of Houston. She has been the academic advisor for the UTeach Dallas program since January 2011. Prior to coming to UT Dallas, King served as an academic advisor at the University of Houston and at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

King is passionate about working with students and helping them discover their strengths and reach their goals. She finds it very rewarding to see a student’s growth from orientation through graduation.

Dr. Malinda Hicks

Dr. Hicks earned a BA in Sociology, an MS in Applied Sociology, and a PhD in Public Policy & Political Economy, all from UT Dallas. She started her career as an academic advisor at UTD in 2019, just before the pandemic. Before becoming an advisor, Dr. Hicks worked as a Program Analyst for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Dr. Hicks considers her academic advising practice to be a calling, and her greatest satisfaction comes from helping disadvantaged or marginalized students persist in achieving their educational goals.

Courtney Milavec

Courtney Milavec earned her bachelor’s in biology and environmental science from St. Lawrence University. She’s currently working towards her master’s in education from Harvard University, focusing on higher education leadership, policy, and crisis management. Before moving to Texas, she was a Recruitment Specialist for Montana Tech where she prioritized recruiting underrepresented students and hosted summer camps in Yellowstone as part of those efforts. She started her ATEC career in 2018 and is the Staff Advisor for ATEC’s LLC and a member of UT Dallas Military and Veteran Advisory Council.

Catherine Boynton

Boynton received her bachelor’s in psychology from UT Dallas in 2014 and earned a master’s in family therapy from Texas Woman’s University in 2017. Before becoming an advisor, Boynton worked as a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in trauma and LGBTQIA adolescents. She started her career as an academic advisor for her alma mater in the summer of 2019 and has loved every single second. She also teaches the BBSU 1100 Freshman Seminar course and says that is her favorite part of her job.