First- and Second-Year Student Success (FSYSS)

First- and Second-Year Student Success (FSYSS), formerly known as the Undergraduate Student Success Center (USSC), provides academic advising and student support services to aid the University in increasing its student success rates. FSYSS’s services are accessible to all students but are notably geared toward assisting first- and second-year students. 

FSYSS's organizational units are designed to assist students in developing positive relationships with faculty, staff, and other students, which will foster a strong academic and co-curricular foundation at CSU and provide programs for students to learn the skills, habits, and dispositions they need to achieve academic success. 

The First- and Second-Year Student Success office contains three units: Academic Advising & Coaching, OASIS, & Strategic Programs. Its organizational units provide academic advising; online and face-to-face tutoring and supplemental instruction; retention tracking; and support for developing social and “soft skills.” 

Academic Coaching and Advising serves new, first-time (NFT) and continuing students with fewer than 60 cumulative credit hours. Beginning in fall 2024, both first-year and second-year students will be advised within the FSYSS unit. Student Success Coaches will continue to meet one-on-one with students and assist them in setting and clarifying academic goals and negotiating the challenges of their first college experience. 

FSYSS student success coaches view advising as an opportunity to expand students' understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and foster their intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning. Students and their FSYSS student success coaches are partners in assuring students understand the pathways and requirements for their majors and identifying the steps for achieving the student’s personal, academic, and professional goals. The student and their coach have clear responsibilities and share responsibility for ensuring the advising partnership is successful.

OASIS stands for the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services. Are you a student seeking help in a course in which you are struggling? You have come to the right place! The OASIS program offers many ways to receive the help that you need.

OASIS provides academic support to all students in various subject areas. OASIS offers course-specific one-on-one tutorial sessions with a peer tutor or Content Specialist. Additional services include Drop-in Tutoring, Online Tutoring, Learning Skills Workshops, Finals Review Sessions, and Resource Lending to help students confidently complete their current courses.

Mission

The mission of OASIS is to assist students in developing their learning skills, improving their study skills, and achieving their academic goals.

See How We Can Help

The Strategic Programs unit is instrumental in the development, implementation, and analysis of varied retention strategies for students’ success. This area provides creation and implementation initiatives that address the Six Pillars of Access and the social developmental requirements of freshman cohorts and rising sophomores. Strategic Programs houses the USS 1000 — Undergraduate Success Seminar course, USS 1200 — Undergraduate Success Skills course, and the Marauder Achievement Program.

Strategic Programs collaborates on initiatives with other units within the First- and Second-Year Student Success, Student Affairs, each college, Marauder Leadership and Engagement, Career Services, Academic Empowerment and Accessibility, Residence Life, and Counseling Services to ensure students develop an academic and social balance that will enrich their collegiate experience.

The Marauder Achievement Program (MAP) is designed to support students on academic probation. Students are paired with a MAP Coach to help guide them to academic success by developing an action plan and educating them about resources that are readily available on campus. 

Connect with an FSYSS team member TODAY!

LaKeisha Jenkins Washington 
Executive Director, First- and Second-Year Student Success 
E: ljenkinswashington@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6049 

Robert J. Vidal 
Program Manager  
E: rvidal@centralstate.edu  
O: 937-376-6419 

Lakeysha R. Smith  
Director, Academic Advising and Coaching 
E: lsmith1@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6354

Student Success coaches 

Ray Moon (A-K)
Student Success Coach 
Majors departments: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Manufacturing Engineering, Math and Computer Science, and Water Resources Management (A-K) within the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture 
E: rmoon@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6356

Michael Phelps (L-Z)
Student Success Coach 
Majors departments: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Manufacturing Engineering, Math and Computer Science, and Water Resources Management (L-Z) within the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture 
E: mphelps@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6465 

Rory Infante 
Student Success Coach 
Majors departments: Manufacturing Engineering, Math and Computer Science, Industrial Technology within the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture 
E: rinfante@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6486

Joi'e White (A-I)
Student Success Coach 
Major departments: Social and Behavioral Sciences within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education  
E: jwhite51@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6416 

Daniel Bellum (J-Z)
Student Success Coach 
Major departments: Social and Behavioral Sciences within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education  
E: dbellum@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6416 

Carlos Rodgers 
Student Success Coach 
Major departments: Humanities and Communications, Composition, and Languages within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education 
E: crodgers@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6026 

My’Kell Howard 
Student Success Coach 
Major departments: Accounting and Business Administration (A-K) with the College of Business,  
E: mhoward@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6158 

Fougere Jacquelin 
Student Success Coach 
Major departments: Accounting and Business Administration (L-Z) within the College of Business
E: fjacquelin@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6657 

Tara McCormick 
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Professional Education and School of Agricultural Education and Food Science, within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, & students without a major 
E: tmccormick@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6178

Marauder Achievement Program (MAP) 

Deva Baker 
MAP Students all majors, last name (A-J)
E: dbaker@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6471 

Angelo Hopson 
MAP Students all majors, last name (K-Z)
E: ahopson@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6480 

Retention specialists 

Kalesha Scott
Retention Coordinator 
E: kscott19@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6085 

Cadmus Inniss 
Retention Specialist 
E: cinniss@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6553  

Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services

Terron Dames 
OASIS Coordinator 
E: tdames@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6247 

Dawn MD Mumford 
Mathematics Specialist 
E: dmumford@centralstate.edu 
O: 937-376-6389