March 31-April 25, 2025

Instructor: 

Taléa R. Drummer-Ferrell, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)

Learning Outcomes:

• Intentionally reflect on own bias and assumptions that could get in the way of supporting students to one’s fullest capacity
• Gain an understanding of the importance of cultural affirmation and sense of belonging and how these can have an impact on the student experience and success
• Discuss best practices that can help support underrepresented students through their transition at a PWI
• Obtain knowledge from other participants discussing various experiences that support the course.

Course Description:

This course will discuss ways to support students of color at a predominately white institution. Underrepresented students have a variety of shared and unique experiences at PWIs, and this course will not only shed light to those experience, but also discuss how we can support those students. The weeks of the course will be themed around the concepts of addressing one’s own biases, cultural awareness and value, cultural affirmation, sense of belonging, and best practices. The instructor, Dr. Talea Drummer-Ferrell has her own lived experiences as a student at three different PWIs as well as in her current position as an Associate Vice President in Student Affairs. This course will encourage dialogue to allow the class to give their own voice to the subject as well.

Textbook (required):

Multiculturalism on Campus: Theory, Models, and Practices for Understanding Diversity and Creating Inclusion by Michael Cuyjet (Editor), et al. 2^nd edition (2016)

About the Instructor:

Dr. Drummer-Ferrell (Dr. D.) is the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). Prior to her current role, Dr. D. was the AVP and Dean of Students for five years and historically the first Black woman to sit in that role at her institution. She also served as the Director of the Student Multicultural Center (SMC) for three years where her primary responsibility was to support the needs of underrepresented students through her oversight of the SMC, its major initiatives and programming, and through her work on various committees that she serves on. 

Dr. D. has also had experiences working various functional areas including Intercollegiate Athletics, Residence Services, Student Organizations and Fraternity & Sorority Life. Throughout her career, her focus has been on leadership, academics, career development, and empowerment of the individual student. Dr. D. attended undergrad at Miami University where she became a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated and earned my bachelor’s degree in Family Studies. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Louisville in College Student Personnel, and earned her Ph.D. from Kent State University in Higher Education Administration & Student Personnel where her research focus was on second year students and the sophomore slump. Dr. D. lives in the State College area with her family, including their five-year old daughter, Gayle.

May 5-May 30, 2025

Instructor:

Catherine Hartman, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand national trends, literature, and data associated with student transfer
• Examine and understand the characteristics and assets of transfer and transfer-intending students
• Explore common tools and practices institutions use to meet transfer students needs
• Evaluate the ways in which programs or initiatives may or may not support transfer students’ transitions, engagement, and success during the transfer process
• Develop equity-minded strategies for promoting transfer student success within and across institutions, including through pathways, initiatives, and policies

Course Description:

Transfer students are a significant and growing undergraduate population on campuses across the U.S. Promoting transfer student success requires institutional agents to understand and support students’ navigation of the transfer process and their acclimatation to new institutions. As such, this course will provide foundational information about transfer, including national trends in transfer. Participants will also explore characteristics of transfer students, assets they bring with them to their institutions, and institutional barriers that impact their success. Participants will engage in learning activities and create equity-minded actionable plans that reinforce support for transfers. No textbook is required for this course.

About the Instructor:

Catherine Hartman is an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership and Faculty Scholar at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. Catherine’s research focuses on community college student persistence and engagement, community college student transfer to four-year schools, and community college leadership. Prior to coming to NC State, Catherine served in various positions at the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, the Center for Community College Student Engagement, the Charles A. Dana Center, and William & Mary.

June 2-June 27, 2025

Instructor:

Kimberly Dressler

Assistant Director of the Carolina Experience Office, University of South Carolina

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain an understanding of the trends, literature, data, and frameworks that surround the sophomore and junior years
• Explore the common issues and experiences in the identified years
• Examine and evaluate current models of campus programs and initiatives
• Understand definitions of the identified cohorts and common language used in discussion, i.e. the sophomore slump
• Develop a plan for a needs assessment and exploration of the second and third years on participants’ own campus
• Engagement and in-depth discussion with other course participants.

Course Description:

Much attention is focused on the beginning and ending years of college, what about supporting students in the middle? This course will explore the middle years on the college campus: the sophomore and junior years. Alternatively referred to as the second and third years. This course will explore literature, theory, and data related to these two populations. Participants will examine common frameworks and a variety of campus models designed to support second and third year students. Participants will develop their own plan for exploring the needs and issues of the targeted populations on their own campuses.

Textbook (required):

A Faculty and Staff Guide on Supporting Sophomore Student Success by Molly Schaller and Julie Tetley (2023).

About the Instructor:

Kimberly Dressler serves as the Assistant Director in the Carolina Experience office at the University of South Carolina where she oversees support beyond the traditional first year, the Caroline Experience Peer Leader program, and faculty-student interaction programs. The Carolina Experience office was created in 2024 to support sophomore, junior, senior, and transfer students at USC. Kimberly has nearly two decades of experience working in higher education, with a specific focus on the middle years in the academy. She has presented nationally on the sophomore year experience, junior year experience, transfer student experience, peer leadership, student success initiatives, domestic study away, and the importance of cross-campus collaboration. She spent a decade teaching sections in USC’s University 101 course and has overseen USC’s award-winning SophoMORE Success program for fifteen years.

Originally from greater Cincinnati, Kimberly moved to warmer weather for college and never looked back! She is not a fan of snow, but she does still enjoy cheering on both the Cincinnati Bengals and Reds. Kimberly has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication and a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of South Carolina. Following graduation, she worked at Furman University for several years before returning to USC in 2010. Outside of her daily work, Kimberly serves as the co-chair for USC’s Women’s Leadership Institute and is actively involved in NASPA and NASPA Region III.

July 14-August 8, 2025

Instructors:

Kate Lehman, Ph.D.

Director, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

Kevin Wenger, Ed.D.

Research Analyst, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

Learning Outcomes:

As part of this course, participants will:

• Identify key learning outcomes for the first year of college
• Explore common assessment frameworks and approaches 
• Develop a basic understanding of foundational assessment methodologies 
• Evaluate and interpret assessment data to improve first-year programming 
• Create an assessment plan for use on your campus

Course Description:

Astin and antonio (2012) argue that “good assessment is really good research, and the ultimate aim of such research should help us make better choices and better decisions in running our educational programs and institutions.” This course positions participants to conduct good assessment of first-year experience and postsecondary transition programs by providing an overview of foundational assessment frameworks and introducing participants to key assessment methodologies. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to develop and execute an assessment plan, and most importantly, make sense of the results to inform key decisions and improve their programs and practice. 

Textbook (required):

Astin, A.W. & Antonio, A. L. (2012). Assessment for Excellence: The Philosophy and Practice fo Assessment of Evaluation in Higher Education. 2^nd Ed. Rowman & Littlefield.

About the instructors:

Kate Lehman, Ph.D., serves as director of the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition where she provides leadership for all Center operations, strategic initiatives, conferences and events, publications, and scholarly and research activities. Kate also serves as an affiliated faculty member in the University of South Carolina’s Department of Leadership, Learning Design, and Inquiry. Kate teaches courses on research methods and the impact of college on students, as well as advises students and serves on dissertation committees. Dr. Lehman’s research interests center on the major selection process for first- and second-year college students, experiences that promote student retention and success in their major field (particularly STEM and computing fields), and the college-to-career transition.  She currently serves as co-PI on an NSF-funded study that tracks first- and second-year computing students through college and beyond into careers and graduate school to examine the experiences that shape their educational trajectories. 

Prior to joining the NRC, Kate served as co-founder and associate director of Momentum: Accelerating Equity in Computing and Technology and as Assistant Academic Researcher and Assistant Adjunct Professor in UCLA’s School of Education & Information Studies. Momentum is a research center that employs mixed-methods approaches to conduct cutting-edge research on efforts to diversify computing and technology fields, with an emphasis on efforts to recruit women and people of color into computing education pathways and retain them into technology fields. Over her 12 years at UCLA, Kate worked alongside Dr. Linda Sax to establish Momentum’s reputation as a leader in computing education. During her tenure as associate director, she served as PI or co-PI on numerous large-scale, NSF-funded projects, recruited and developed top research talent, established key partnerships with leaders in education research and policy, led extramural fundraising efforts, published widely, and regularly represented Momentum at national and international conferences and convenings. Kate continues to serve as an affiliated scholar at Momentum. Kate has also held positions in student affairs at The Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina Charlotte.  

Kate is a proud alum of Miami University, The Ohio State University, and UCLA. Outside of work, Kate is a mom of three, an exercise enthusiast (find her on Peloton!), and a Francophone. 

Kevin Wenger, Ed.D., is the Research Analyst for the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. In this capacity, he assists with the administration of research and grants, oversees data management, and contributes to projects related to the FYE. Kevin’s research interests include student success in the first-year college experience, student engagement, disability in higher education, education law and policy, liberal arts, critical quantitative methods, data storytelling, and assessment practice.

Before joining the NRC, Dr. Wenger held roles with the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) as a research project associate and as an associate with NSSE's Institute for Effective Educational Practice, where he was involved in research, survey operations, and the application of assessment findings to promote effective educational practices. His professional experience also includes positions in institutional research, residence life, and study abroad advising.

September 8-October 3, 2025

Instructor:

Tasha A. Carson, Ph.D.

HBCU Advocate | Strategist, Solutionist, Higher Education Enthusiast | Speaker, Trainer, & Motivator | Instructional Designer

Course Description:

This course is designed for current and aspiring student affairs practitioners and student support service providers within the higher education sector who are committed to developing a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the distinct staff and student experiences within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Recognizing the unique historical, cultural, and contemporary context of these institutions, this course delves into foundational theoretical perspectives and evidence-based practical approaches essential for effectively serving the diverse student population at HBCUs.

Through an in-depth exploration of established and emergent frameworks related to academic success, holistic advising models, culturally responsive mentoring initiatives, comprehensive student support services, and meaningful student engagement strategies, participants will gain critical insights into the factors that shape the educational journeys and professional lives withinthe HBCU ecosystem. The course will critically examine the rich history, vibrant culture, and profound impact of HBCUs on the landscape of American education and their indispensable role in shaping American history and society.

A significant component of this course involves the critical evaluation of high-impact practices (HIPs) currently being implemented at HBCUs, with a focus on understanding their effectiveness and cultural relevance. Furthermore, students will engage in the analysis and development of creative and innovative strategies aimed at enhancing the engagement and success of different student types. To foster a holistic and multifaceted understanding, this course will intentionally incorporate diverse perspectives through scholarly literature, case studies, interactive discussions, and the valuable insights of faculty, staff, alumni, and guest speakers actively engaged within the HBCU community.

About the Instructor:

Tasha A. Carson, Ph.D., has been a proud HBCU advocate, HBCU administrator, and HBCU alumna for nearly 20 years. As a noted strategist, solutionist, and higher education enthusiast, she loves all things student success and wholeheartedly believes in the power of supporting students. Her love for HBCUs was first fused when she attended North Carolina Central University as a first-generation college student and soon thereafter, she assisted all three of her younger siblings in their educational pursuits to HBCUs. Today, she and her three siblings hold nine degrees among them, eight being from our nation’s historically Black colleges and universities.

Dr. Carson has had a progressive career in student affairs at HBCUs for 13 years and has developed a wealth of knowledge and experience serving students and training practitioners. As a speaker and trainer, she has presented at national conferences and numerous HBCUs throughout the country, including Langston University, Fisk University, Bethune-Cookman University, Shaw University, Wiley University, Clark Atlanta University, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As a student affairs expert with a career established on integrity, student-centeredness, and organizational theory, she is an emerging leader in the field of higher education and takes advantage of all opportunities to illuminate the HBCU experience.

Dr. Carson is a two-time graduate of North Carolina Central University, where she earned a masters in counseling education and two undergraduate degrees in political science and sociology. She earned her doctoral degree in Higher Education Leadership from Jackson State University. In 2024, she was named one of the Top 25 Women Leading HBCUs and MSIs by the HBCU Campaign Fund and in that same year completed the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute. As a devoted lifelong learner, she holds two leadership certifications from HarvardX and a wealth of continuing education completions. She is the proud wife of Christian Carson, an associate pastor in the Atlanta area, and together the couple enjoys serving others, traveling, trying new restaurants, and watching NBA games.