Cynthia Gladstone

Setting the Precedent: Dr. Cynthia Gladstone on retirement, relaxation, and the OG Academic Advisors

By Jacqueline Magno | Social Media Intern

September 30, 2021

Across The Forty Acres, Liberal Arts offices are teeming with students in need of an advisor. Their concerns are many - degree audits, course schedule conflicts. Academic existential crises. Advisors provide students the support they need to thrive on university campuses; but in the nineties, advising looked extremely different.

"When I started advising students at UT, I was in graduate school earning my PhD in history," said Dr. Cynthia Gladstone, a senoir academic advisor for The College of Liberal Arts. "At the time, some advising was done by graduate students, some by faculty or student developmental specialists. Many of us did not have formal training, so we just jumped in."

Dr. Gladstone remembers both the novelty and fear of advising students for the first time.

"This is going to sound like I lived in the Stone Age, but we didn't have computers. We had word processors and basic connections to the mainframe," she said with a laugh. "It's truly evolved as a profession on campus."

After graduating from her PhD program, Dr. Gladstone took a leap of faith and made the decision to become a full-time academic advisor.

"Unfortunately, my mom died shortly after I graduated. And if you want to go into academia, you have to be prepared to move around the country to teach. I didn't want to do that because my dad was by himself in El Paso, so I made the decision to become an advisor instead."

Throughout her impressive career on The Forty Acres, Dr. Gladstone has advised students in Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, and Linguistics. She has also committed herself to uplifting the hard work to Liberal Arts students and colleagues.

"I've served on the Dean's Distinguished Graduates Committee for around 13 years, where I've become acquainted with exceptional students," she explained. "I've also been training new advisors for around 14 years, some of whom have gone on to win university-wide and national awards. It's incredibly gratifying."

After making years' worth of memories within The College of Liberal Arts, Dr. Gladstone plans to retire on September 30, 2021. She hopes to prioritize relaxation during her well-deserved retirement.

"I'm hoping to do some more active things, like exercising and cooking," she shared. "Eventually, I'd like to do a little traveling. I have friends in England and sisters in California, and I would love to go see them."

Dr. Gladstone encourages Liberal Arts students to pursue relaxation throughout their academic careers as well.

"Too many students get caught up in their curricular and extracurricular activities. But sometimes, it's okay to just sit around, spend time with your dog, or go for a walk."

She also urges students to keep in touch with their advisors.

"The incredible people I've worked with - the faculty, students, and staff - they've taught me how important advising is. It's a support system and a lifeline for our students. It's an incredible profession, and it should be treated as such by the university."

For Liberal Arts students, you can find contact information for your departmental advisor on the Find My Advisor page. Our advisors are happy to help you achieve your academic goals here in the College of Liberal Arts!

Writer's Note: Congratulations Dr. Gladstone on your retirement! On behalf of the Student Affairs Department, we thank you for all the hard work you have done for our students, staff, and faculty.