UM Higher Education Ph.D. student Mariana Rangel was recently hired as the first academic coach at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
“Working in the Center for Student Success & First-Year Experience for six years was instrumental in preparing me for this role,” Rangel said. “I am thankful to have always had supportive supervisors who allowed me to gain experiences outside of my everyday responsibilities by joining university committees, completing a fellowship in the Provost’s Office and giving me advice when working full-time and being a Ph.D. student was challenging. I owe so much of my achievements – professional and academic – to my former supervisors in the CSSFYE. I will be forever thankful for all they have taught me.”
Rangel oversees the academic support programs in accordance with Oakland University’s retention goals, including academic success workshops and classroom visits. Her other focus is to coordinate and administer outreach strategies for students, staff and faculty related to academic success initiatives in the form of tutoring and supplemental instruction.
“The courses for the Ph.D. program helped me gain a broader and deeper understanding of how colleges work and the issues our students face today,” Rangel said. “Before enrolling in the program, I only felt confident about the areas I worked in – academic advising and first-year experience. But the big decisions in higher education require consideration for all facets of a university. It has also taught me to look at data more critically, to be a better problem solver, and to be an independent learner. I also have to acknowledge my fellow Ph.D. colleagues – because we were all from different areas of higher education, I learned an invaluable amount from their insight and perspective.”
Mariana Rangel was born in Brazil, and moved to the United States 13 years ago. Rangel earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. She earned her master’s degree in Community Mental Health counseling, and is currently in the finishing stages of her Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Mississippi.
