For the second year in a row, the University of South Carolina’s Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support played host to the New Professionals Institute (NPI) for NASPA Region III and the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA). And for the second year in a row, USC set a new attendance record for the conference.
This year, 93 participants came to the Midlands representing 47 different higher education institutes from throughout the region, besting the previous high-water mark of 84 attendees in 2024. Over the course of the five-day institute, attendees had the opportunity to enjoy the university’s historic downtown Columbia campus and stay in the Honors Residence Hall, a LEED Gold certified building that includes the Honeycomb Café.
USC continues to be well-represented at NPI, led by Dean of Students Marc Shook, who completed his term as NPI Institute director, and NPI Coordinator Kat Yoffie. In addition, nine USC staff members across several areas of the division attended the conference.
"When selected to be the NPI director for the 2024 and 2025 summers, I knew I wanted to host it here at USC, and Vice President Rex Tolliver saw the benefit as well," Shook says. "Every detail of the institute was executed to near perfection and that would not have been possible without the leadership of Kat Yoffie, university housing, and particularly Kelly Fink, as well as Andrea Pack in the Dean of Students Office.
Prior to the conference, USC’s Associate Vice President for Residential Experience, Dr. Kirsten Kennedy, and Clemson University professor Dr. Tony Cawthon led the Student Affairs 101 Pre-Institute Conference.
Sessions during the institute included an introduction to Columbia, strategies for being successful in student affairs, how to establish professional boundaries, crisis management and more. Attendees were also divided into small groups for localized discussions and exploration during the week
They were joined by nine NPI faculty members from around the district, including University of Memphis' Dr. Eric Bailey, II, who will follow Shook as director, and Gamecock alumna Dr. Jackie Mullen, currently the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at Mississippi State University.
"I was honored to be selected to serve on the 2025 NPI Faculty, and it was a bonus to be selected to serve at the University of South Carolina where I received my Master’s in the HESA program in 2006," Mullen says. "From thoughtful provoking conversations with new professionals and engaging presentations prepared by faculty across higher education, I walked away both inspired and energized to continue this work knowing that the new professionals working in higher education and student affairs are deeply devoted and committed to continuing this work and helping students across higher education be successfull at their universities and in life."
Read below for a full list of both faculty and USC staff who attended NPI.
NPI Faculty
- Dr. Eric Bailey, II — University of Memphis
- Dr. Brandon Brown — Calhoun Community College
- Dr. Jessica Brown — Alabama A&M University
- Dr. Trisha Clement — University of Kentucky
- Dr. Jami Hall — Dalton State College
- Dr. Justin Jeffrey — Texas A&M University
- Dr. Jackie Mullen — Mississippi State University
- Dr. Henry Titus — Lenoir-Rhyne University
- Dr. Mike Wilkinson — University of South Alabama
Attendees from USC
- Danielle Dix — Coordinator for Peer Leadership
- Rebecca Dooley — Coordinator for Student Organizations
- Jessica Flach — Coordinator for Student Governance
- Jordan Harsey — Coordinator for Academic Integrity
- Madison Jones — Greek Village Property Manager
- Courtney Laughlin — Residence Life Coordinator
- Emily Mathias — Assessment Associate
- Shonta Sellers — Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
- Diamond Strozier — Assistant Director for Retention Programs