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Student Success Specialists

Meet the Team

By UNC Asheville

March 8^th, 2022

There’s a lot that goes into being a successful UNC Asheville student, and it’s not just about making good grades. It’s also about being a part of the community, staying healthy—and that includes mental health—finding the things that interest you, and pursuing your passions. It’s about balancing your school life with your personal life, and maybe with a job, too. UNC Asheville’s team of Student Success Specialists open their doors to students to help connect them to the resources across campus and beyond that can support them along their college journey.

Maria Martinez Cantellano

When Maria Martinez Cantellano went to NC State for her undergraduate degree, she was the first person in her family to go to a four-year college. “I’m a first-generation student,” said Martinez Cantellano, “and I went through that experience with other identities attached: first generation, but also first-generation immigrant, as well, and having parents who speak a different language…and then I was also a rural student, coming from a really small town.”

Those experiences drive Martinez Cantellano’s passion for working with students as a Student Success Specialist.

“It is really about supporting students and helping them reach whatever academic goals that they have, and trying to also connect with the students as a whole person,” Martinez Cantellano said.

“As well as seeing what they might be missing on campus, or what might help them have a more rounded experience here at UNC Asheville, and feel a part of the community.”

Paying attention to a student as a whole person is a key part of Martinez Cantellano’s work. “That means taking into account that that student brings different experiences with them. They bring their whole life experience, their background, their identities, how they move and walk in the world,” Martinez Cantellano said. “But also, it’s recognizing that students are more than just their academics. They're people, they have wants and needs, and if other things in their life aren't going so well it would be very easy for the academic piece to take a backseat.”

Martinez Cantellano has worked in a variety of advisory roles in higher education, including as a team captain for NC State’s Juntos program promoting post-secondary education to Hispanic and Latinx youth; in student housing; as an intern and peer academic coaching program coordinator with the College Assistance Migrant Program; and as a college advisor, among other jobs. Martinez Cantellano says she feels those experiences have culminated in her work at UNC Asheville.

“I just want to be able to give people information that they should have access to, that they deserve, but aren't always privy to given different identities, different barriers that they might be facing,” Martinez Cantellano. “I’ve always just had this draw towards students, to be the person who's there, giving students information, helping them form decisions, letting them know that they're supported. I want to work alongside them to help them reach their goals.”

Brittanie Jones

Brittanie Jones has worked in higher education for eight years in roles in residential education and in student conduct. But the pandemic prompted her to take her career, and her passion for helping students, in a new direction. “I wanted to have the full effect of the overarching student experience,” Jones said. She’s found that holistic level of work as a Student Success Specialist.

Jones said she’s seen how the pandemic is affecting the students she works with, as well. Missing classes because of illness or exposure to COVID, or taking care of someone who’s ill, or even financial struggles caused by the pandemic can all create setbacks for students as they try to navigate their college careers. But whatever the setback, Jones is ready to help.

“I never have the same day twice, none of my days are identical to the next or to the day before. We are a resource hub” Jones said. “I do a lot of problem solving. Whatever a student needs, I'm here to help in any way, even if it's outside of academic advising.”

Jones said her experience as a person of color attending a PWI (predominately white institution) also helps her serve students.

“I think I thrive at PWI’s because I went to a PWI, and I didn't see a lot of people that looked like me,” Jones said. “I think that’s helpful for [our students] that there is somebody who looks like them, that’s had a similar situation or scenario.” Often, that means helping students with issues outside of the classroom; but that’s exactly what Jones is here for. “It’s more than just student-centered, it’s the whole student, mentally and emotionally.”

Jones said the diverse make-up of the Student Success Specialist team strengthens their ability to tackle any issue a student may come to them with.

“We are a great make-up of the campus. There are people of color, we have our LGBTQ+ community. I’ve worked in res life, I have student conduct background. We have a person who comes from a mental health background, we have a person that comes from the financial aid background. We have a person in our office that comes from an admission background. We have a person that comes from a community college,” Jones said.

“When I think about the student experience, everybody in our office is connected, in some way, shape, or form, to all areas of the institution.”

For students considering whether or not to seek out help from a Student Success Specialist, Jones offers a few words of advice:

“The only bad question is the question that’s not asked.”

Keenan Mosley

“I’ve always had a passion for education,” said Keenan Mosley. Mosley, a UNC Asheville alumna, brings her background as a licensed clinical mental health therapist to her role as a Student Success Specialist, as well as her work as the district mental health liaison for Asheville City Schools. Her passion for education started with her family, and was expanded upon during her time as a student at UNC Asheville.

“As a person of color, traditionally it's always just been embedded, from a value-based perspective, the importance of education—how it can be a door opener and a stepping stone,” Mosley said. “Getting an education is empowering… Going to UNC Asheville was a turning point in my life, being introduced to new information, new possibilities. Being around educated people, African American professors that are doctors, it just really broadened my horizons. So I think it's a great place to be to provide support and be a representative and an advocate for higher education.”

Mosley said she enjoys being a part of providing that educational experience for others, and helping to create the environment that allowed her to thrive when she was a student.

“There's room for everybody to express and address what they’re passionate about, what they feel purpose-filled about,” Mosley said. “That’s another thing I really love about being in a higher institution academic setting like this.”

Mosley said her background in mental health is often useful as Student Success Specialist, especially during the pandemic. “A lot of times students are stressed with COVID, or people have a lot of personal things that are going on in their lives. Sometimes just being able to have that active listening ear has been helpful.”

The Academic Success Center has done a lot of work towards being accessible to students, Mosley said, from setting up tables around campus to hosting Walk-In Wednesdays, to offering flexible times for appointments.

“Utilize your resources and ask questions,” Mosley said. “It's important to seek out help. You're not alone. There are a lot of resources and there are a lot of people that you can connect with that can be of support to you. You don't have to suffer in silence or have unanswered questions.”

Grayson Randall

While Grayson Randall is a fresh face in the Academic Success Center, she’s no stranger to UNC Asheville. She became a Student Success Specialist after six years working as a UNC Asheville admission counselor.

“One of the reasons why I was ready to make the switch over from Admissions is you build a relationship with a student and their family over several months, working with them to complete their application, to start the enrollment process, first stage advising questions they may have, and then they fly the nest,” Randall said. “In the Student Success Specialist position, I’m able to continue building a relationship with students, and continue building that rapport with them.”

As a Student Success specialist, Randall works with first-year students and students who haven’t declared a major yet, any student who needs help connecting with resources, and students who need coaching after being placed on Academic Warning. In her role, Randall draws not only on her experience in the Admission Office, but also on her degree in sustainable development.

“In the context of education and working with students one-on-one, it's developing habits that are long-term, particularly in the context of coaching,” Randall said. “Ideally, that's the intent of the program. And then you’re going to take these skills that we've developed together that we've worked on together and carry that with you for the rest of your career at UNCA. It's a lot of capacity building, and developing programs that are going to exist after I leave UNC Asheville.”

One of the programs Randall is helping to develop develop alongside the Office of Student Transitions and Family Programs is the Summer Bridge Program, which will help students transition from high school into college through early move-in, careful mentoring, and introduction to strategies for student success support and academic skills. “We’ll be introducing them to resources, making sure they know kind of the lay of the land and what's available for them to be their best selves at UNCA,” Randall said.

Wherever students are in their college career at UNC Asheville, Randall wants students to know that they will always find support when they need it.

“This is going to sound super cliché, but we are here for you. I always want students to know that there is someone in their corner, someone who is ready to go to bat for them and support them as they move through UNC Asheville,” Randall said.

“I think that's why a lot of students choose UNC Asheville; it is a small community-minded setting, and this program is reflective of that. People are genuinely looking out for the students and want them to thrive at UNCA.”

Cody Woods

Like Randall, Cody Woods started off his UNC Asheville career in a different department, working in the Office of Financial Aid. In his new role as a Student Success Specialist, he enjoys being able to connect with students.

“I'm actually sitting down with students now and saying, let's talk about not just academics, but your life and your life goals,” Woods said. His experience in the Financial Aid still comes in handy when working with students, as does other connections he’d already made on campus, such as with the Math Lab and Federal Work Study program. “As a member of the LGBTQ community, I'm going to be working with our Lavender Graduation [with partners in Academic Affairs] and doing some academic advising for our LGBTQ populations on campus,” he said. As a former fraternity member, he’ll also be working with Greek life on campus.

Woods says his door is open to students of varying levels of needs, whether they meet once to address a specific issue, or meet all semester to make sure their academics stay where they need to be.

“I know that being in contact with a professional in this role can kind of sometimes seem like a punishment or a burden,” Woods said. “So that's how I start off in all my meetings. This is not a punishment. I really want them to view myself, and my colleagues in the same role, as a friendly staff member that is here to be a resource for them.”

Woods makes sure students know his door is always open to them, whether they need to talk about school or just whatever is going on in their lives. He enjoys making his office a fun, comfortable place for students. “I wore a Rugrats shirt yesterday, I've got baby Yoda stuff. I'm all into all the things that are hip and cool and old and 90s, that's me,” Woods said. “I've got the Harry Potter owl up there, all my personal books are in here.”

It’s fun, but it also serves an important purpose. “I want them to see what life is about for me. So that way, it gives them some door that is open,” Woods said. “Yes, I'm a staff member. Yes, there is a level of professionalism that comes with the position. There are boundaries. But I want them to take away that this is a safe place where they can express themselves.”

Woods said the diversity among the staff on the Student Success Specialist team adds strength to their ability to help students.

“This is the most diverse team that I've been on since I've been working in higher ed, so I'm super stoked. I love my colleagues,” Woods said.

“Representation is definitely important because it lets you see yourself in these roles. I think in most cases the person you're speaking to has been in or seen some of the conflicts that you might be having… It opens the door for students that might be struggling or might have those similar experiences going on, to allow them to vent and feel heard and seen and represented. I'll go to bat for anybody.”

Katie Kitchens

Katie Kitchens has worked in the Academic Success Center for three years. In addition to her work advising students, Kitchens also leads several programs for students, such as the Student Success Labs. These evening workshops are held in-person in Highsmith, Kitchens said, and will also be recorded so students can watch them virtually on their own schedule. Each workshop is designed around a topic students expressed interest in via survey.

“Our first session was thriving versus surviving at UNC Asheville, tips and tricks for living your best life here and how that works, and then also a bit of the academic side. Then February is about finances, so we're talking a little bit about budgeting money, what a credit score is, et cetera,” Kitchens said. “For the one in March we’re partnering with the Career Center, and then, the final one in April is a finals-palooza.”

Kitchens also helps to oversee UNC Asheville’s student academic course ambassadors, and peer mentors. “Course ambassadors meet in classes, and they are backup support basically for the teacher and also the liaison for the students,” Kitchens explained. Course ambassadors work directly with faculty to help with any number of aspects of classroom instruction, such as tech support with setting up videos or monitoring chats in online classes, or helping to set up a painting room in the Art Department.

Peer mentors, on the other hand, work one-on-one with students. “We don’t expect them to tutor, but they can point them in the right direction,” Kitchens said. “College is a lot of adjustment, right? So maybe the mentee just needs someone to attend events with because they haven’t made any friends yet. Or they want to know, how do I talk to my professors? How do I get involved in this club? It’s a like a welcome to campus.”

Kitchens said she has seen the role of the Academic Success Center evolve and grow during her time at UNC Asheville, and is excited about the specific outreach they’re now able to provide students. “The potential benefits will be students who feel more part of the community, and confident in their ability to tackle their academics,” Kitchens said. “They’ll be comfortable talking to their professors, familiar with the resources we have on campus, and familiar with a couple people who they know they can ask.”

Kitchens also encourages students to find something they’re passionate about, and then get involved.

“Get involved in the ones that work for you. You don't have to be involved in everything,” Kitchens said. “You build community here on campus, whether that', doing a club, or finding a study buddy, or going to a cool event. Find some way to tap in to what's available through your campus.”

Get connected with the Academic Success Center.

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