Academic Advisor II Kestrina Shrestha is the math departmental advisor. She joined the Franklin College Office of Student Academic Services in 2020. She currently serves as the Director of the Math Peer Mentor Program. She is also involved on campus as the TEDxUGA Advisory Board. She was awarded the 2022 Franklin College New Academic Advisor of the Year Award and the 2022-2023 UGA's Outstanding New Advisor Award. She is also the recipient of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Award Certificate of Merit. In Spring 2021, Kestrina created the Math Peer Mentor Program proposal after the former Math Undergraduate Coordinator, Mo Hendon, shared that one of his students expressed the need for a peer mentor within the math department. Kestrina' s program proposal was reviewed and supported by the department. The Math Peer Mentor Program started in Fall 2021 with 8 mentors and 16 mentees. This program continues to grow as it fosters leadership and sense of belonging among undergraduate math students. Kestrina currently teaches experiential learning to the math peer mentors who want to fulfill their experiential learning graduation requirement through this program. Before advising in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Kestrina was the graduate advisor in the Office of Multicultural Services and Programs (MSP) at UGA where she advised the Asian American Student Association (AASA), Black Theatrical Ensemble (BTE), Hispanic Student Association (HSA), and Indian Cultural Exchange (ICX). She created the program development curriculum for the Asian American Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Leadership Retreat, which continues to be one of the signature events of MSP. She also started the annual leadership transition retreats for AASA, BTE, and HSA in 2019. She received her master's degree in College Student Affairs Administration from UGA. Her undergraduate degree is in Public Relations from Illinois State University. In her leisure time, she likes to go hiking, paddle boarding, and kayaking. Education Education: Master of Education, University of Georgia Bachelor of Science, Illinois State University
