Academic Advisor Highlight: JaNeece Thacker

Mikaela Campbell

McKay Student Ambassador

Early Childhood Education

---

Each of the advisors here at the McKay School want to help their students. They want to get to know you and help you succeed. Here you can get to know JaNeece Thacker!

JaNeece Thacker:

Tell us a little about yourself!

I graduated from BYU in 1997 with a degree in Special Education. I earned a master's degree in education from Boston College in 2003. I was a Special Education teacher (resource room) for 7 1/2 years in Indianapolis, IN, and in Boston, MA.  As a teacher, I LOVED helping kids learn to read. It is one of my passions in life. It’s hard to beat seeing a child who has struggled to read for most of their life, turn the corner, and start reading! It’s the BEST!  

I met my husband (Evan) while we were both living in Boston and in graduate school. We married in 2005 and moved to Seattle in 2007 for Evan to pursue a PhD at the University of Washington. We have two kids, Sam (19) and Lauren (17). Sam is currently serving a mission in Eugene, OR, and Lauren will be a senior at Orem High School. As a family, we love to play games, read books, go to the beach (our favorites are in Hawaii and Cannon Beach, OR), and go on walks with our dog (Callie). I love BYU sports and get season tickets for football and basketball every year! 

We moved to Utah in 2013, and in the summer of 2014, my kids would both be in elementary school, so I started looking for a job. I saw a posting for an advisor position in the McKay School that looked interesting and like something I would enjoy. I applied and ended up getting the job. It has truly been my favorite job EVER! 

What is your favorite part about working with students?

The best part of my job is helping McKay School students navigate their college experience. I love and am grateful for the relationships I’ve built with my students over the years. I strive to be someone they trust—a person they can turn to for answers, guidance, and support as they explore their options at BYU and consider their next steps. Graduation is my favorite day of the year because I get to celebrate my students' success with them and watch them walk across the stage. 

What can students come to you for?

I advise students in the Elementary Education (EL ED) and Special Education (SPED) programs. I help students plan their semester schedules, troubleshoot registration issues, understand the program application process, know what to expect in the EL ED and SPED programs, and understand their options for their final clinical experience. I also help coordinate student teaching placements for SPED students, coordinate the internship experience for EL ED students, clear my students for graduation, and recommend them for a teaching license after their degree has been posted. I have been at BYU long enough that if I don’t know the answer to a student’s question, I probably know the person on campus who does. 😊 

What advice would you give to a new student?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. There are so many people in the McKay School and across campus who are rooting for your success and would be happy to help you in any way they can. Come visit us in the Education Advisement Center (EAC)! We are ALL happy to help and want to see you succeed and find happiness here at BYU. 

To learn more about the Education Advisement Center or to schedule an appointment with your advisor click here. 

---

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT EDUCATION MAJORS?

Come meet with us! Schedule an appointment here. We would love to meet with you!