Factors Impacting Student Choices and Strategies to Guide Them
What, who and how influenced your student's choice to attend a higher education institution? How did the influencer reach them? How can your class provide a framework for evaluating and implementing the influences that will shape their learning while part of your community and in the years to come?
Cindy Wallace served as the Vice Chancellor for Student Development (now Student Affairs) at Appalachian State University from 2004-2016. She came to Appalachian in 1984 as coordinator of the federally funded Student Support Services program. Subsequently, she directed the Learning Assistance Program from 1997-2001. She served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Services from 2001-2004. Wallace was instrumental in starting the nationally recognized freshman seminar program on the Appalachian campus in 1987 and was a dedicated faculty member of the course for 32 years. During her last year at Appalachian, Wallace received The William C. Friday Lifetime Achievement Award in tribute for her years of service and dedication to the students of Appalachian State University.
She co-authored (along with Joni Petschauer) an instructor’s manual to accompany Robert Feldman’s textbook POWER: Strategies for Success in College and Life published by McGraw Hill. She has continued to serve as co-author of updated editions and has consulted and presented nationally on how to use these strategies in the classroom. Wallace, with Chancellor Ken Peacock, created the Appalachian Commitment to a College Education for Student Success (ACCESS) which promises a debt free education to high need students, and it remained a focus of her work. Wallace possesses a bachelor’s degree in history and English from Baylor University, as well as a master’s degree in teaching and history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining Appalachian State, Wallace was the Assistant Director of the Liberal Arts Advising Center at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Joni Webb Petschauer began her career in 1983 as an academic counselor for Appalachian State University’s Upward Bound program. This work was followed by multiple roles focused on supporting the academic success of first year students at the university. Most significantly, she taught Freshman Seminar and provided faculty development training for colleagues on Appalachian’s and many other campuses. Her final years at Appalachian were as the director of a multi-campus network funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission that focused on college access and educational attainment of students from western North Carolina.
She has presented student success practices nationally and internationally (Russia, Czech Republic, Turkey, and Japan) in face-to-face and virtual environments; published articles/chapters/books on student success topics; and served as an institute fellow on first year experience assessment, leadership, and instruction. She has been engaged with Robert Feldman’s publications since 1999 – co-authoring (with Cindy Wallace) ancillary publications for Robert Feldman’s POWER Learning series. She completed the North Carolina Educational Policy Fellows Program from 2009-2010 and retired from Appalachian in July 2010. After an extensive stay in Europe from September 2010 – May 2011, and returned to Boone and served as the national trainer for the American College Application Campaign for 10 years. Currently, she is available as a campus consultant for implementation of first-year student success courses, as well as faculty preparation for teaching these courses.