Achievements

• 2023 - created the first Disability Resource Group for RCMA employees.

• 2021-2022 - designed and submitted a project proposal to the U.S. Department of Education to improve retention rates through the implementation of EdTech using virtual reality and augmented reality. Received the approval and $52,584 to implement the project.

• 2020-2021 grant year - 88.3% retention (goal of 72%), 92.55% good academic standing (goal of 87%), and 63% graduation (goal of 47%) for low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities served by the program. Despite the pandemic, student retention, academic standing, and graduation rates were above the objectives.  

• 2020-2021 - wrote an internal proposal to the Provost to create additional services for underserved students. The Scholars Program was approved and funded for the 2021-22 academic year.

• 2019 - 2020 - wrote a grant proposal on behave of Columbia College Chicago and was awarded $1,675,550 from the U.S. Department of Education to serve first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities for 5 years.

• 2017-2018 - submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Education to fund faculty development training in Universal Design for Learning. Trained and improved the syllabi of 10 professors.

• 2016-2017 - transitioned all paper documents to electronic files and modernized all processes and procedures. 

• 2015-2016 grant year - an average of 90% retention and 93% good academic standing for low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities for all three grants.

• 2015-2016 auditing - changed processes and procedures of all three TRIO departments and completed auditing with no findings. 

• 2016 - received two officers and completed a visit from the U.S. Department of Education with outstanding remarks. 

Distinguished Honors & Awards

2015: Employee Excellence Award – Northeastern Illinois University

Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) establishes an excellence award program to recognize and reward employees who contribute to student success, create problem-solving initiatives, produce innovation, bring about improvement in quality outcomes, or enhance the quality and productivity of University operations through exemplary actions and attitudes.

2020: Selected DFI Fellow - Governors State University