Meet the Team

Pronouns: (he/him/his). As Assistant Dean of Student Success, I lead the advising team in helping students maximize the many academic opportunities available to them at WPI. In the Office of Academic Advising, we provide holistic academic support for students, including; tutoring, academic planning, fellowships and scholarships advising, pre-health advising, BS/MS advising, and co-op planning. In addition, we support students through a variety of programming including specific programs for transfer students, sophomores, and also our first-year Insight experience. As a first-generation ...

Rachael Heard (she/her) joined the Office of Academic Advising in June of 2022 and serves as the Director of Academic Programming and Student Transitions. Her dedication to and excitement for student success drives her to create innovative and impactful opportunities for the WPI community while striving for equity and access across the institution. As the Director of Academic Programming and Student Transitions, Rachael works with our campus community members to enhance the student onboarding experience by removing institutional barriers related to the college transition, redefine and ...

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers As Associate Director of Academic Advising, I work with a students of all majors and class years to help support them academically throughout their time at WPI. I also serve as our university’s Pre-Health Advisor, which means I get to help students prepare and apply for health professions programs such as medical school. As a college student, I was very involved in New Student Orientation which is how I first developed a passion for working with college students that persists today. My mission as an advisor is to do what I can to make sure students have the tools and ...

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers. In my role as the Associate Director of the Academic Resources Center, I oversee the daily operations of the Academic Resources Center (ARC), a comprehensive peer tutoring program offering support in a variety of STEM subjects. In the ARC we offer one-on-one tutoring as well as Math and Science Help (MASH) group tutoring. I also serve as an academic advisor to a caseload of undergraduate students, providing guidance on academic planning and supporting students as they identify academic and personal goals and establish plans for their time at WPI.  My main ...

Pronouns: He/ Him/ His. As an Assistant Director, I support a caseload of students and assist students on academic warning or probation to reflect upon their educational experience and build habits to lead them towards their definition of success. In my role I also coordinate the Insight Program in partnership with faculty and staff across campus to assist incoming students with their transition into the WPI Community. As someone who identifies as a first- generation college student and person of color, I can understand some of the challenges that may come when you begin your time ...

  Pronouns: she/her/hers As an assistant director in the Office of Academic Advising, I advise students of all majors, coordinate the academic coaching program, guide transfer students through their transition to WPI, teach ID 1000 Summer Academic Success Program, and serve as a liaison with Mass Academy. College can present many academic, professional, and personal challenges and opportunities.  As an advisor I provide support and a space for students to be who they are as learn to navigate these challenges and opportunities.  I focus on a student’s academic goals and priorities, ...

Pronouns: They/them/she/her. In my role as Advisor for Academic Support, I primarily serve as an academic advisor for undergraduate students, helping them build a foundation for their academic and holistic success here at WPI. Outside of these duties, I am also responsible for creating programming specifically geared towards sophomore students to help support and guide them through their next milestones as WPI students, such as preparing to apply for their interactive qualifying project (IQP).  As an undergraduate student, I struggled with the idea of coming to college because I wasn't sure ...

Pronouns: she/her/hers. As an Academic Advisor, I work with a caseload of students to help guide them towards achieving their academic and personal goals. This includes helping students understand their curricula, providing academic coaching for students who wish to develop new academic strategies, and working with students to make the most of their experiences at WPI. I also serve as a Pre-health Advisor to guide students who are interested in pursuing a health professions program such as medical school or dental school after WPI, and I represent the Office of Academic Advising on WPI's CARE ...

Pronouns: He/Him. As Assistant Director in the Office of Academic Advising, I work with students to help them plan their academic experiences at WPI and to discuss their employment interests and long-term career goals. In addition, I support the Career Development Center and its efforts to educate students and their families about WPI’s Co-operative Education Program (Co-op) as well as the Graduate Admission Office in their efforts to recruit and retain WPI Undergraduates into the university’s Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Programs (BS/MS).I have twenty years of experience working ...

As the Administrative Assistant, I support a variety of Academic Advising initiatives.  These include, assigning students to their major/second major and minor advisors. I work with Health Services/Provost Offices in sending out medical absence or leave notices to professors for students who cannot attend classes.  I also work with and support the Insight Program. I oversee work study students and scheduling hours.  Additionally, I handle scheduling appointments for students to meet with assigned advisors.  Lastly, handle all incoming phone calls, emails, drop-ins, office supplies and ...