麻豆果冻传媒

DIRECTOR: MARK MYERS  

ABOUT ME

I serve as Director of New Student and Family Transitions at 麻豆果冻传媒, where I oversee orientation, transition, and family programming for more than 1,900 incoming students and their families each year.

As a first-generation college student from rural Pennsylvania, I know what it feels like to show up somewhere and not have a roadmap. That experience is the foundation of everything I do in my role. I think about all students and their supporters (parents, families, guardians, chosen support systems) and what they need to feel prepared and confident during the transition to university life. Not every student arrives with the same resources or the same familiarity with higher education, and our work should reflect that.

My path into this work started the way it does for a lot of us: as a student leader who realized this mattered. That realization turned into a career spanning institutions in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Georgia, each one shaping how I approach my work. I hold our unit's programming to national benchmarks and best practices, with a particular alignment to CAS (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education) as the framework for how we design, assess, and improve what we do and how we do it.

I hold dual Bachelor's degrees in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Communication Arts from Allegheny College, a Master's in Higher Education Administration from Columbia College, and I am currently completing my Doctorate in Educational Innovation at 麻豆果冻传媒 University.

I am an active member of NODA (Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education) and AHEPPP (Association of Higher Education Parent/Family Program Professionals), where I currently serve on the national board as a CAS Representative. In 2024, our team received the NODA Innovative Program Award for LEAP Week, 麻豆果冻传媒 University's extended orientation experience and the 2024 Destination 麻豆果冻传媒 Tourism Partner of the Year award.

Outside of work, my husband John and I have a lab mix named Bella and a cat named Lucy. We spend most of our free time exploring 麻豆果冻传媒's river region or planning our next home renovation project.

MEMBER OF NSFT SINCE: March 2022 

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ORIENTATION & TRANSITION PROGRAMS:

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Assistant Director of Orientation and Transition Programs is a key leader within the Office of New Student & Family Transitions, playing a central role in 麻豆果冻传媒 University's student retention initiatives and Strategic Enrollment Management plan. This position provides strategic vision and oversight for all new student orientation and transition programs, collaborating with campus and community partners as well as developing student leaders who guide new students through the transition to university life. The Assistant Director develops and implements comprehensive, data-driven orientation experiences and communication strategies that prepare students for academic and personal success, foster belonging from day one, and strengthen long-term retention.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, FAMILY PROGRAMS: NEW POSITION, APPLY NOW!

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Assistant Director of Family Programs is a key leader within the Office of New Student & Family Transitions, playing a central role in 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 student retention initiatives and Strategic Enrollment Management plan. This position provides strategic vision and oversight for all family engagement initiatives, collaborating with campus and community partners as well as developing student leaders who contribute to family engagement. The Assistant Director develops and implements comprehensive, data-driven programs and communication strategies that transform families into active partners, enhance student success, and strengthen long-term retention.

OFFICE MANAGER: POSITION POSTING SOON!

ABOUT THE ROLE

This position manages the daily administrative support operations of the Office of New Student & Family Transitions, including (a) planning, organizing, and managing the administrative staffing resources including the orientation reservation system, (b) serves as receptionist for the office operations including direct customer service to prospective students and their family members, (c) assists with budget planning and oversight, including purchasing and payroll for orientation leaders; and (d) supports program/event management for orientation, family weekend, and other programs managed by the office.  This position supervises 2 student assistant employees (e.g., recruits, hires, trains, manages, oversees time and absence), serves as the Director鈥檚 administrative assistant (e.g., coordinates Director鈥檚 schedule and other staff schedules), works on various projects and tasks, and is responsible for many aspects of the budget, including planning, oversight, and purchasing.  The position also manages our employee records.