Advisor Profile: Catherine Axinn
For Catherine Axinn, her personal history is an important part of her advising philosophy. Before Dr. Axinn began teaching at Ohio University in 1991, she earned her B.A. in Multidisciplinary Social Science, MBA in Transportation and Logistics Management, and Ph.D. in Marketing with a minor in International Business, Communications, and Economics, all from Michigan State University. “It only goes to show you it took me a long time to settle on something, which I understand in my advising,” she explained. “I don’t expect everyone to know what they want when they’re 18. I don’t think I even knew when I was 30 what I wanted to do.” She currently serves the University as Associate Professor of Marketing and International Business and advisor to the College of Business as well as to undecided and pre-business students in University College.
Since her arrival at Ohio University, Axinn has taught classes in International Marketing and Marketing to both undergraduate and graduate students. In 1992, she participated in the redesign of the College of Business’s full-time MBA program, and she continues to participate in rethinking education. “One of the things that attracts me to OU is the sort of continuing emphasis on re-evaluating how we teach,” she said. Beyond the Marketing department, Dr. Axinn is involved in the University Curriculum Council, University Graduate Council, and University Diversity Council. Off campus she is also a member of the American Marketing Association and the Academy of International Business. Axinn is also actively involved in research. As a result of her curiosity as to why some marketing firms perform better than others, Dr. Axinn co-founded an organization called the Consortium for International Marketing Research (CIMaR), a network of 45-50 marketing professors from around the world who are also similarly interested in answering these questions. “OU has supported me in doing that,” she said, “and because of that support, better research is being done by people around the world today in trying to understand global marketing.”
As an advisor, Dr. Axinn believes it’s critical to understand why the advisee is there. She finds some students often have a clear vision, while others may not. Each one, she says, requires a different kind of approach, so Dr. Axinn remains flexible in her own advising styles. “Part of the job of the advisor, I think, is to help the student be able to make informed choices, whether it’s about courses or programs or careers,” she said. “I try never to tell a student what to do, but to present the choices.” Dr. Axinn also regards advising as an important way of building links in the academic community between faculty and students. She believes students receive a higher quality experience at the University if they are able to feel comfortable talking to faculty. “If a student can talk to a faculty advisor, then he or she is more comfortable talking to a course instructor,” she explained. “Then with subject matter, he or she is more likely to ask for help if they need it.”
In order to remain helpful to her advisees, Dr. Axinn tries to have all the technical knowledge of degree requirements and procedures. If she doesn’t know the answer to a student’s question, she admits it and tries to call someone who will know while the student is still in her office. She considers a good advisor one who is responsive to the needs of students in real time. Through her own advising, Dr. Axinn most enjoys helping students see a path to their goals. Certainly many Ohio University students have found their paths thanks to Dr. Axinn’s involvement and dedication to academic advising.
— Natalie Smith
