President's Appreciation Award Nomination Letter
Miles Ogden is one of the kindest and hardest working advisors at BYU. He has faithfully worked to help students for more than 34 years in a myriad of co-curricular offices, and most recently for over 15 years with international students and visiting scholars. Miles manages the regular advisor duties with ease, always kind to his students. His gentle personality is a wonderful addition to our office. Miles also works hard to make sure the office is operating at its highest potential. He has, quietly and voluntarily, taken on many duties that are not in his exact job description but would otherwise help the office.
Miles is always looking for ways to improve programs or services to our students. Miles is our cheerful, spiritual officemate who has time for a smile and will then get back to work enhancing our software system or updating forms to make them more easily understood by students. You will often find Miles in the office early; he is superbly dependable. He is always happy to reach out to students, other advisors, or student workers to help with each of their needs. Our students feel safe, comfortable, and loved in Miles’ presence.
Miles shines as a team player. In 2021, we upgraded our international student database, which we use to report required information to the U.S. government. Miles oversaw the upgrade and really worked hard to get into the minutiae of the program so that he could address any glitches and bumps up front and quickly resolve problems. The rest of the office all knew that we could depend on Miles to fix the bugs and details of the new system, and we are so grateful for his vital contribution.
He frequently reaches out to ask how his students are doing, inviting them to come and visit. Miles fills out academic plans and helps connect them to other resources on campus. He often contacts government agencies to inquire about ways to help navigate a unique and complex visa law for an individual. I have seen him stay late many times to be with a student in distress, listening to their struggles and helping connect them to CAPS and other places where they can receive help. He takes time whenever there is a need and is a consummate example of what a BYU advisor should be.