Pioneering Student Success Nonprofit Expands National Advisory Board

PORTLAND, Ore., June 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- InsideTrack, the nonprofit student success organization that pioneered the use of executive style coaching for student success, today announced the appointment of two new members to its national advisory board: Dr. Mary Marcy, president of Dominican University of California, and Dr. Virginia Fraire, associate provost at The University of Texas at El Paso. The two leaders join a distinguished group of senior experts in higher education leadership, student success and policy who are advising InsideTrack on the emerging challenges facing institutions and ways to extend its social impact.

"As colleges and universities face a period of unprecedented financial and programmatic uncertainty, institutional leaders are taking a step back to reexamine long-held assumptions about the services and scaffolding we provide to help each student thrive," said Dr. Marcy. "Small, independent colleges are rapidly embracing holistic approaches -- including success coaching -- that can provide personalized support to students. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as a member of InsideTrack's advisory board and guide them in their efforts to support improved outcomes for our nation's students and institutions."

Since beginning her tenure as president of Dominican in 2011, Dr. Marcy has led the adoption of a comprehensive framework for student learning and success centered around high-impact practices, dramatically improving graduation and retention rates, while also increasing the diversity of the student body. An accomplished higher education leader, Dr. Marcy was selected to lead a statewide pilot program to help California students finance college through public service. She is the author of The Small College Imperative: Models for Sustainable Futures, which explores the challenges that small, independent colleges face in responding to the changing demographics and economics of higher education.

"The challenge for higher education leaders today is making our institutions truly student-ready and inclusive of increasingly diverse communities, especially at a time when the student experience and student progress is being disrupted in profound ways," said Dr. Fraire. "We need to move beyond the implementation of holistic student support programs. This work requires a shift in organizational culture and systemic changes that will meet the needs of today's students. InsideTrack has been at the forefront of helping institutions make this shift for decades and I look forward to assisting them in expanding that impact."

Dr. Fraire's brings more than 20 years of professional experience in postsecondary education to Inside Track's advisory board. She has served in multiple leadership roles in student affairs and academic affairs at four-year and two-year institutions.  As associate provost at the University of Texas at El Paso, she leads and implements student-focused strategies to support equitable outcomes in access, transition, retention, graduation and beyond. In her prior role as vice president at Austin Community College, Dr. Fraire led the student affairs strategy to implement Guided Pathways, a national movement to significantly improve student outcomes. After five years of leading large-scale innovations, the college nearly doubled its three-year graduation rate. 

Other members of InsideTrack's advisory board include:

• Nicole Hall, Director of Career Services at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Amy Claire Heitzman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Learning Officer at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association
• Saskia Knight, Executive Vice Chancellor at Brandman University
• Jason Meriwether, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Humboldt State University 
• Bev Perdue, Managing Director at Perdue Strategy Group and Former Governor of North Carolina

"For two decades, InsideTrack has been focused on driving positive social impact through the transformative power of education," said Pete Wheelan, CEO of InsideTrack. "Our advisory board is instrumental in keeping us true to our mission and helping us to continuously enhance the support we provide students and the institutions that serve them."

Over the past 20 years, InsideTrack's work has been proven effective in hundreds of controlled studies and through direct work with more than 2 million students. Earlier this year, InsideTrack announced that it had completed the transition to a 501(c)3 nonprofit, enabling the organization to further its mission by facilitating new types of partnerships with educational institutions, philanthropic organizations and others seeking to expand educational and career opportunities.

About InsideTrack
InsideTrack is passionate about student success. We partner with institutions and organizations to improve enrollment, persistence, completion and career readiness. Our student support methodology uncovers first hand feedback about student goals and challenges. Through strategic guidance, staff training and student coaching, we help institutions turn this feedback into actionable insights that drive better student outcomes. As a nonprofit member of the Strada Education Network, we offer partners access to a comprehensive range of student success solutions as well as the latest research and insights on student success. We've supported more than 2 million students since 2001 and currently serve over 4,000 programs. Visit us at www.insidetrack.org and follow us on Twitter @InsideTrack.

SOURCE InsideTrack

Related Links

http://www.insidetrack.org