Provost's Newsletter May 2023 cont...
4th Annual Student Success Celebration
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Pictured above: Student Success Champions Shelly Thompson, Kimberly Espinoza Cruz, and Stefanie Drew with Dr. William Watkins, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and Dr. Melanie Bocanegra, Associate Vice President for Student Success.
The Student Success Celebration on April 27th recognized successful students and their stalwart champions and reviewed the year's progress toward building a more equitable future for our students and community.
Freshman Celebration Showcase听
- The Judge鈥檚 Grand Prize for Best Overall Projects: Prof. Kim Bonfiglio鈥檚 class for 鈥淚f We Can Do It, So Can You!鈥� and to Prof. Gigi McGuire鈥檚 class for 鈥淢atadors Forward: Black Excellence Edition.鈥�
- The People鈥檚 Choice Awards: Prof. Monicka Guevara鈥檚 class for 鈥淎 Day in the Life of a Freshman,鈥� and to Prof. Sharon Lim鈥檚 class for 鈥淯prooting Food Insecurity.鈥�
Student Success Champions
- Shelly Thompson, Undergraduate Studies
- Stefanie Drew, Psychology
- Kimberly Espinoza Cruz, 快活林性息 Mentorship Program
Peer Mentors Recognized
- Lindsey Walton and Naira Harutyunyan, Community for Achievement in Psychological Sciences (CAPS)
- Ashley Arredondo and Gloria Rincon, Parent Scholars Mentoring Program
In addition, nine students were awarded Riccomini Family Scholarships. Congratulations to students, staff, and faculty for a very successful academic year!
Meet the Dean: Mechelle Best, Ph.D., College of Health and Human Development
What brought you to 快活林性息 and how long have you been Dean?
I started at 快活林性息 in 2008 as an assistant professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Recreation & Tourism Management. I鈥檓 快活林性息鈥檚 newest dean. I became the Interim Dean in November 2021 and the permanent dean (as much as a dean can be permanent!) on May 1, 2023.
What do you like most about your position?
I work with wonderful staff and faculty who are driven to help our students succeed. At the same time I get to help those staff and faculty work towards and achieve their professional goals.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I鈥檓 fairly handy and often try to fix things around the house before calling in an expert.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I feel very fortunate to have successful careers in both academia and industry. I love being in a position through which I can help a range of people to change the trajectory of their lives and realize their biggest dreams.