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Jennifer McKee standing in office space in front of bookshelf

Academic advisor joins to increase student success in science

By Debbie Farris

Jennifer McKee, Academic Advisor

The College of Science welcomes Jennifer McKee as an Academic Advisor in the Dean’s Office with partial support from the Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies. Jennifer will focus specifically on providing more supplemental advising to enhance student retention in our College. She will also provide direct just-in-time academic advising to science students, including carefully monitoring their progress throughout their academic program.

Previously, Jennifer served as a senior academic advisor at DeVry University in Naperville, Illinois, where she provided academic guidance and support to students and developed improvement plans for academically at risk student populations.

One key responsibility will be leading our College’s intervention efforts for first year students to stay on track while collaborating with departmental advisors to support students through degree completion in the major of their choice.

This new position will collaborate across campus to create, facilitate and execute programs and strategic and timely interventions that will improve the academic success of all science students. For example, the new Academic Advisor is responsible for building strong partnerships with faculty and advisors, LSAMP, SACNAS, the OSU STEM Leaders Program, and others across OSU.

This position will help develop and implement an early-warning program for all first year and transfer science students. Using pre-enrollment data, such as incoming academic profile, math placement scores and enrollment in more challenging courses, she can help identify and advise students who are at risk for academic distress early in their academic careers.

In addition, Jennifer will oversee College recruitment efforts to attract more diverse and underrepresented students to science disciplines and develop programs and interventions that support students from nontraditional pathways, such as community colleges, students returning to college, etc.

Jennifer earned a master’s degree in higher education leadership at DeVry University with her thesis analyzing student services in higher education for Native American student success and retention. She earned an M.A. in English from Western Illinois University, where she also earned her B.A. in history with a focus on contemporary and women’s history.

We welcome Jennifer and look forward to her contributions to our College as we support the success of all science students and create a welcome, diverse and inclusive OneScience community at Oregon State!