Bob Gibbard's Observation

Walking into Bob Gibbard’s office feels like walking into a lion’s den. He is incredibly tall and solid, sitting behind his computer just waiting for someone to walk through his door and ask for advice. If I were a freshman and Bob was my advisor, I would be terrified. That is, until he opens his mouth. Once you get past all of the military posters and accolades that scatter his office, there sits a genuine and thoughtful man, someone who reminds me of my grandfather. I’ve had the pleasure of observing Bob three times so far this semester, both in his office and as he presented an academic success workshop. It is clear that no matter what type of interaction Bob is having with students, he always appears to make them feel at ease and important. While I’m looking forward to observing more helping interactions with Bob this semester I feel as if I’ve already learned some important lessons.
Bob has been working as an academic advisor at Appalachian for almost fifteen …show more content…
As U.S. Army veteran, Bob admitted that he’s not sure if he gets through to non-military students some times. He was very honest in his self-reflection: Is it the students or is it the way I’m explaining things? This may be because, according to _________. “Student veterans, in particular, tend to have achieved maturity beyond their years, coming to the university with a strong sense of responsibility and leadership” (p. 170 MTL) Sharing his experiences, especially while advising ROTC/ student veteran students appears to be a little more meaningful because typically his values and experiences align more closely with those students. I, one again, appreciated his honesty and transparency in speaking with me and addressing that he is not a perfect advisor, and still after fifteen years there is room for him to