Supporting student success requires more than strong academics. It requires clear, visible, and connected support across campus.
To reinforce that coordinated approach, Kettering University has formally established a Student Experience (SX) Ambassadors initiative designed to embed student-centered support throughout the institution.
The initiative designates faculty and staff members across key functional areas to serve as visible points of connection between students and the Student Experience team. By creating a network of informed connectors across campus, the model strengthens communication, enhances responsiveness, and promotes earlier awareness when concerns arise.
Mike Schaal, Associate Dean of Student Engagement and Success, is leading the initiative.
“The Ambassador initiative helps us strengthen our support network across campus,” Schaal said. “Ambassadors serve as both a resource for students and a communication link for the Student Experience team, helping us identify concerns early and connect students to appropriate services.”
The initiative includes Ambassadors from across the University. Among those currently serving are Shari Luck, Erik Daly, Judi Langolf, Mohammad Torfeh, Torsten Maier, Venetia Petteway, Yvonne Wagner, Alyce Petty, Benjamin Stratton, Dotti Gouine, Sharrie Creasey Thorpe, and Shannon Loesel Thorpe, representing a range of academic and administrative areas.
A Networked Approach to Student Support
Kettering’s Student Experience mission centers on preparing students for lives of leadership and service through a rigorous, immersive academic model. The Ambassadors initiative reinforces that mission by ensuring that support is not confined to a single office but integrated throughout the University.
Rather than centralizing responsibility, designated contacts are embedded across campus to observe, communicate, and connect students with appropriate resources. Ambassadors listen to questions, concerns, and ideas from members of the student community and help connect individuals to academic support, student organizations, campus activities, and other services as needed.
The charge of the initiative is twofold: to serve as a support network for the Student Experience team by observing possible students at risk, and to serve as a resource for all students. Together, the cohort operates as a coordinated system for retention, support, and communication.
Structure with Purpose
The Ambassador position is a one-year appointment with the possibility of reappointment. To build and maintain a strong network, the cohort meets quarterly with the Associate Dean of Student Engagement and Success. An orientation at the start of the academic year includes action planning, introductions, and guidance for the year ahead.
Strengthening the Kettering Experience
Ambassadors represent a cross-section of departments and functional units across campus. Their involvement expands the University’s capacity to maintain a supportive environment where students can access resources, raise concerns, and remain focused on their academic and professional goals.
The Student Experience Ambassadors initiative reflects Kettering’s ongoing commitment to fostering a coordinated and supportive culture for all students.
