The Office of the Provost is pleased to announce the following academic support staff changes and promotions:

Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning - Laurel Mayo
Laurel Mayo is the new director of our CETL. Mayo came to Wesleyan in March 2009 and has served as the Activity Director/Learning Specialist for the Title III project. She has been instrumental in the success of learning communities, and has led numerous advising and faculty development activities, including our Summer and Fall Institutes. Laurel has more than eight years experience in distance learning, previously serving as the supervising coordinator of the Curriculum and Training Team at TCC Distance Learning, which provided faculty development for online course development.

Mayo also teaches French, serves as a board member of the Texas Distance Learning Association and the Secretary of the North Texas Chapter of American Association of Teachers of French, and has presented at state and national conferences. She holds a Master of Arts and almost 20 years experience in higher education.

Once fully staffed, the CETL will include Laurel as the director, Mary Griffin, instructional technologist, and a new instructional designer. CETL will continue to provide educational resources, promote exploratory or evidence-based instructional methods, and offer professional growth opportunities to faculty to improve teaching practices and the educational experiences of Texas Wesleyan University students. The CETL now reports directly to the Provost.

Director of Advising and New Student Services - Amanda Novak
Amanda started with Wesleyan in the fall of 2011. Before that, Novak worked at UT Dallas, where she advised more than 500 students in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (primarily biology and biochemistry students). Prior to her move to higher education, she taught high school agricultural science courses.

Amanda holds a master’s degree in student success in higher education and is an active member of NACADA (National Academic Advisor Association). With a background in residence life and student programming, the focus of her graduate work was K-16 alignment and how quality advising and student engagement in college can bridge the college readiness gap facing most incoming freshmen. Stacy Dissinger, coordinator of freshman advising, and the coordinator of new student programs will now report to Amanda Novak.

In this newly created position, Amanda becomes a member of the Academic Support Services team, focusing on the orientation and acclimation of new students, as well as the continued coordination and support of faculty in freshman advising. The change will allow the University to meet the needs of new students and integrate them into the University; further, it will enable a strengthening of Wesleyan’s assistance and support for faculty and students in academic advising.

The change enables Kathy Prater, dean of University College, to focus on her responsibilities overseeing and coordinating the scheduling and the required outcomes assessment of the General Education Curriculum. She will continue to serve as lead faculty liaison and freshman advisor working with Amanda. This change will also allow Melody Bell Fowler, director of student support programs and services, to focus her efforts to ensure adequate support to meet the growth in our Academic Success Center and developmental programs.

Director of Career Services – Robyn Bone
Robyn is a professional career counselor, having graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in psychology and Texas Wesleyan University with a M.A. in professional counseling. Prior to her promotion to director, Robyn served as associate director of Wesleyan’s Career Services, worked as an intern and subsequently as college and career counselor. She is currently an LPC-Intern and is obtaining licensure for LMFT-A. As Director, Robyn will focus on expanding services and placement opportunities offered to students and alumni and looks forward to partnering with faculty and staff.