Cassandra Kepple
Hometown: New Kent, Virginia, US
Fall 2019 - present
PhD in Higher Education
Legacy Fellowship
Leadership Positions in The Fellows Society
Chair of the Fellows Mentoring Initiative Committee
Over my two years at FSU, I have been dedicated to increasing involvement within the FSU Fellows Society. I believe beginning the Fellows Mentoring Initiative is a great way to get both current and previous Fellows more involved in the organization. I am running for the position of Chair of the Fellows Mentoring Initiative as I believe the initiative will benefit past and present Fellows, I would love to get to know all of the Fellows interested in participating, and I think the initiative fits well with my research area and degree field. As Chair of the Fellows Mentoring Initiative, I would be directly involved in creating a program on FSU’s campus meant to connect current students and alumni. This initiative could be extremely beneficial to the success of our Fellows both during and after their time at FSU. I would be delighted to serve as the first Chair of the Fellows Mentoring Initiative and work to make sure this program is successful.
Educational/Professional Background
Cassie received her bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Multidisciplinary Studies from West Virginia University in 2017. She then received her master's degree in Higher Education Administration also from West Virginia University in 2019. Throughout her studies, Cassie served as a research assistant in Dr. Cheryl McNeil's Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) lab at WVU, worked as a graduate assistant for the Honors College at WVU, and worked as a neuropsychological technician for the Neuropsychology Group of West Virginia.
Research and Teaching Interests, or Professional Field
Cassie's research interests revolve around programs that higher education institutions provide to promote student success. She is specifically interested in forms of experiential learning such as undergraduate research experiences and internships, and how they enhance the student's college experience and success throughout their education. Cassie's teaching interests focus around seminar courses that focus on application of theory in higher education as well as research courses that focus on dissemination of data.
Experience as A Graduate Student at FSU
Two of the biggest highlights of Cassie's experience as a graduate student at FSU are her two graduate assistantships. Cassie works as a research assistant for Dr. Brad Cox, in which she researches ways in which we can best support college students with autism. Cassie also works for Advising First as a teaching and research assistant, in which she teaches a first-year seminar course for Exploratory majors and researches best advising practices. Cassie has also found that being an active member of the Higher Education Student Association (HESA) here at FSU has helped her to connect to other students in her program while working to support Higher Education student experiences on campus.
Experience as A Member of The Fellows Society
As a member of the Fellows Society, Cassie has dedicated her time to being a part of the Fellows Forum Committee and building relationships with other Fellows Society members. Cassie especially enjoyed being a part of the first Fellowsgiving event, creating a space for interdisciplinary inquiry through the Fellows Forum, and being able to connect with FSU community members while volunteering at the President's tailgate for an FSU football game.
Future Plans/Aspirations
Cassie thoroughly enjoys research and teaching, so she is looking at multiple career options for the future including: becoming a faculty member, working with an institutional research department, and working for an organization that is dedicated to dissemination of research related to higher education.