Tag: welcome

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Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Professional Advising Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Academic Success Programs

Welcome John Easton

Headshot of John Easton
John Easton

Please join us in welcoming John Easton to the Student Academic Engagement and Success (SAES) team! John has joined as the inaugural assistant provost for Student Academic Engagement and Success. In this role, he will lead cross-campus collaborations to improve undergraduate academic success for first-year and transfer students, support the launch of professional advising at SMU, develop additional opportunities for summer academic bridge and academic recovery courses and provide operational oversight of Academic Development of Student Athletics (ADSA).

John is bringing with him nearly 25 years of experience at SMU. He currently serves as associate chair, chief undergraduate advisor and program director of the Master of Science in environmental engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lyle School of Engineering. Additionally, he is a clinical professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Environmental Engineering. John received his Ph.D. in environmental health engineering, along with an M.S. in civil engineering, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He holds a B.A. in biology from the University of Kansas.

In his new role, John says he is looking forward to “working with all of the great people! The SAES team, administration, faculty colleagues, and (of course) students and student-athletes! Student engagement and success is “my jam,” and I’m thrilled to be working to support those programs and projects.” Of the students, he mentioned that “it’s a privilege to work alongside such driven, smart, and dedicated young people. They’re going out to change the world!”

John is super engaged at SMU along with his family. His wife also teaches in the Lyle School and his son has two SMU degrees and was a member of the Men’s Swimming and Diving team. Since all of the kids have left the nest, John and his wife are rediscovering their love of travel, reading, puzzles and games. And they are staying in touch with our kids by playing a weekly Dungeons and Dragons campaign, which he says has been great fun.

Welcome to SAES, John! We are excited to have you on board.

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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Welcoming Brandi Primm as Our New SAES Degree Counselor

We are excited to announce that Brandi Primm transitioned to the Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success (SAES) as our new Degree Counselor on June 2.

Brandi brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student support. Most recently, Brandi has been serving as an Academic Advisor at SMU, and she brings more than two decades of experience as a counselor and educator in both K–12 and higher education settings. Her background includes extensive work with early college high school programs, student support services, and academic advising. Brandi holds a Master of Science in School Counseling from Texas A&M Commerce and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Stephen F. Austin State University.

In her new role, Brandi will serve as a key academic resource for both pre-major students and declared majors in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. She will be responsible for maintaining student academic records, assisting with degree certification, evaluating transfer work, and supporting students and advisors through the completion of general education requirements and timely graduation. The SAES Degree Counselor plays a critical role in ensuring a smooth and successful academic journey for our students, and we are thrilled to welcome Brandi into this important position.

Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Brandi Primm to her new role!

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Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention University Testing Center

University Testing Center welcomes Amie DeRegge as Testing Coordinator

As the University Testing Center (UTC) launches its second year of operation this fall, we are excited to welcome Amie DeRegge as our new Testing Coordinator!

Amie brings over 20 years of experience in student academic records management, having served as a Texas charter high school registrar.  Her passion for serving students and her strengths in data management, multi-tasking, and customer service make her a tremendous addition to the UTC team.

“I’m so happy to work in the University Testing Center.  I love the culture and spirit of SMU and look forward to helping our students reach their academic goals for success in life,” Amie said.

Amie’s arrival at the UTC coincides with more new changes coming to the UTC this fall.  In addition to providing testing services to students receiving accommodations from DASS (Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies), the center will expand testing services to student-athletes during their sport’s competition season.  A migration to test scheduling software in the new UTC Portal will provide additional academic testing and credit-by-exam services to SMU students and the local community.

“It’s an exciting time to be at the UTC and be a part of its growth,” Amie said.  “It provides yet another opportunity to become immersed in the life of SMU.”

Amie enjoys spending time outdoors in her spare time, vacationing with family on the beach, being “Minyama” to her grandkids, and having fun with her pets Sparky and Doc.  She and her husband, Andrew, are proud Mustang parents to their daughter, Molly, an incoming freshman and member of SMU Cheer.

The UTC is certified by the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and adheres to professional standards ensuring exam integrity and accessibility for both examiners and examinees.