Tonya Doane

Bennett College

Tonya Doane is a dynamic and dedicated leader at Bennett College, where she excels as the Director of Student Success and Co-Responder for Retention, as well as an Adjunct Instructor in English and Women’s Studies. Her commitment to empowering students from diverse backgrounds is evident in her holistic approach, which focuses on equipping them with essential skills and addressing their comprehensive needs. She has significantly contributed to initiatives like Tutoring Services, Transfer Tuesdays, and the Emerging Scholars Peer Mentoring Program for first year students. She also co-developed the College’s Success Coaching Model, a personalized wrap-around service that underscores her commitment to student support. Her passion for fostering a collaborative environment is central to her work, as she strives to build a strong sense of community and belonging. Through her efforts, Tonya Doane aims to enhance academic success, retention, persistence, and graduation rates, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Lorrie Frederick

Community College of Baltimore County

Lorrie Frederick is the Assistant Director of Student Engagement for First-Year Experience (FYE) at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). In her role at CCBC, Lorrie oversees co-curricular FYE initiatives designed to welcome students to the college community, provide new students resources to be successful, and offer students avenues to build connections and support systems. Her core programs include a summer bridge program, new student orientation, a peer mentor program, and a second-year transition program.

Lorrie earned her Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership from Morgan State University and her Master of Science in counseling with a concentration in college student personnel services from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. She was a first-year student at Stevenson University in Baltimore, Maryland. She was an involved student leader and student-athlete who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and a Bachelor of Science in human services.

Hal Fulmer

Troy University

Dr. Hal Fulmer served as the Associate Provost and Dean of Undergraduate and First Year Studies at Troy University from 2004 until his retirement in fall 2024. Since 2011, he has served as the Director of the John W. Schmidt Center for Student Success, leading 30 professional staff in support of all areas of retention and degree completion.  He was a member of the team that designed the Center and led the efforts to redesign the University’s General Studies Program in 2015. He holds the rank of Professor with tenure in the Hall School of Journalism and Communication.  He served in faculty and administrative roles at Georgia Southern University and began his professional career at Mississippi State as a faculty member.  His graduate work was earned at the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University.  At retirement, Dr. Fulmer has over 40 years of higher education teaching and service.

Martine Howard  

Camden County College

Dr. Martine Howard is a professor and Chairperson of the Languages and Communications Department at Camden County College in New Jersey,  where she has served for 30 years. An alumna of Camden County College, she holds degrees from Rowan University, the University of Delaware, and New Jersey City University. Dr. Howard was honored with the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award in 2013 for her exceptional student-focused teaching of French and Spanish. She earned her Ed.D. with a dissertation on a 15-credit completion initiative that won the Dissertation in Practice Award. The 15 to Finish campaign she launched helped first-year students enroll in 15 credits per semester, to graduate on time. Her dedication to first-year students was further evidenced by her leadership in organizing a task force in 2023 to implement a First Year Experience Course and create discussions with faculty and administration on how to best enforce it college-wide.

Robert Jacks  

Virginia Tech

Robert Jacks serves as the Director for Academic Advising in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design at Virginia Tech.  In this role he supervises a team of six professional academic advisors and oversees the undergraduate student journey from the time students first think about joining VT to orientation and graduation.  During the past 11 years at VT, Rob has taught three different First-Year Experience classes and helped create several others.  Rob is passionate about advocating for students, removing barriers to both entry and graduation, and creating programs that enhance undergraduate student retention.

Rob graduated from Virginia Tech with a BS in Business and a MAEd in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2017 he received Virginia Tech’s highest advising honor, the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Academic Advising and in 2023 he was the inaugural recipient of the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design’s Outstanding Administrative/Professional Faculty Award.

Kasey Karen  

Georgia College and State University

Kasey Karen, Ph.D. is a Professor at Georgia College & State University in the Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences. In 2022, when GCSU provided the opportunity for faculty to teach the first-year academic seminar courses, Dr. Karen eagerly volunteered and spent some time working on the course design in a Summer HIPs Institute. In her role as the Undergraduate Biology Program Coordinator, she also worked on developing a Freshman Engagement Series for the whole department to create more opportunities for first-year students to meet other biology majors, the department faculty and staff, and learn more about the major itself.

Karen earned a doctorate in molecular genetics and microbiology at Stony Brook University and a bachelor's degree in microbiology from the University of New Hampshire. She loves to foster and rescue cats and dogs, crochet, and bake, especially pies.

Leo Lachut  

University of Connecticut

Leo Lachut currently serves as the Interim Director of First-Year Programs (FYP) and Learning Communities (LC) at the University of Connecticut (UConn). With over 25 years of experience teaching First-Year Experience (FYE) courses, Leo is deeply committed to student success, particularly in supporting first-generation students. In his role, Leo oversees initiatives that help first-year students transition into university life. He collaborates with faculty, staff, and student leaders to create inclusive environments that foster belonging and academic achievement.

As a first-generation college student himself, Leo has been instrumental in developing programs that address the unique challenges faced by first-generation students, contributing to higher retention rates and improved academic outcomes. His dedication ensures that UConn remains a welcoming and supportive institution. With a background in counseling psychology, educational leadership, and a strong track record of student advocacy, Leo continues to lead UConn’s FYP and LC programs while adapting to the evolving needs of students.

Lance Vanderberg  

Taylor University

Dr. Lance Vanderberg is the Coordinator of Academic Success at Taylor University. He teaches applied learning courses, works with students as an academic coach, and provides leadership for university retention efforts. Lance also leads the Transition to College Program for provisionally accepted freshmen. He got his start in higher education through coaching cross country and track at Taylor for 13 years. Lance received his undergraduate degree in social studies education and his master’s degree in higher education. Both degrees are from Taylor. He also recently completed the PhD in Higher Education program at Indiana University, with a minor in learning sciences. Lance greatly enjoys working with students and looks forward to continuing his work in the Academic Enrichment Center at Taylor. He is married to his wife, Amy, and the couple has two children.  

Adam Wasilko

Duquesne University

Adam T. Wasilko is the Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Life at Duquesne University. He is a key figure in students’ out of the classroom experience. Dr. Wasilko also oversees the Center for Student Involvement, which includes: Food Pantry, Commuter Affairs, Disability Services, Freshman Development, Greek Life, Orientation, Parent Relations, Programs, Leadership, Assessment, Student Organizations, Union Operations, Summer Leadership Academy, Student Government, and Orientation program.He serves on the University’s executive retention committee, Conduct Board, Core committee, President’s Diversity Advisory Board, Support Council, and First-Generation Students committee, among others. He serves as an assistant editor of the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education. Dr. Wasilko also teaches a General Chemistry Laboratory class and the occasional cycling class on campus. Dr. Wasilko is passionate about the University mission. You can often find him presenting on the mission at orientations or campus programs. He runs a co-curricular trip to Tanzania to support and visit the Spiritan missions in East Africa.