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Denise Poole

(she, hers)

Director, Student Success Initiatives

Denise Poole join Penn State in July 2019 as the Unversity’s inaugural director of student success and currently oversees the Student Success Center within Undergraduate Education. Before arriving at Penn State, Denise served as the director of academic and student-athlete support services and compliance officer at New York University. In this role, Denise oversaw operations for the Academic Affairs Office which offers eligibility, admissions, advising, and student development support to NYU’s Department of Athletics and varsity student-athlete population. Denise also and partnered with faculty and administration across NYU's ten undergraduate colleges and the Division of Student Affairs to support the University’s recruitment, retention, and student success initiatives. Denise served on various NYU committees and groups including the Undergraduate Advising Deans Committee, the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee, the NYU Advising Network, the Starfish ("NYU Connect") Core Configuration Team, and the Department of Athletics Senior Staff. Denise is a Past President of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), serving as the Association’s president during the 2019-2020 academic year. She provided leadership to N4A's organizational enhancement and strategic planning efforts for the past 12 years and has served as a faculty member for the Association's Professional Development Institute for nine years. Denise earned her M.S. in applied educational psychology with a focus in college student development and counseling from Northeastern University and a B.S. in psychology from Saint Joseph’s University. Denise is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in workforce education and development with a focus on organization development and change.

Chelsey Walls

(she, her, hers)

Assistant Director

Chelsey Walls joined the Student Success Center in March 2022 as a Student Success Advocate. As the Student Success Advocate, Chelsey championed enhancements to both Complete Penn State and key First-Gen Student Success Initiatives. In 2023, she was hired into a new joint role with the Student Success Center and the office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring. In this current role, Chelsey works closely with the Director of each office to support critical programs and initiatives while also identifying opportunities for cross-office collaboration. Prior to joining the Student Success Center, Chelsey was with the Penn State Alumni Association for 8 years as the Assistant Director of Student & Young Alumni Programs, serving as the Blue & White Society's advisor and the Association's student membership expert. During her time as an advisor, the Blue & White Society prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion, becoming one of the most diverse organizations in its student leadership and programming. Chelsey earned her M.Ed in Higher Education with a focus in student engagement from Penn State and a B.A. in English from Marietta College. Chelsey was the first person in her family to obtain a college degree and is passionate about helping other first-generation students find success.

Ryan Klingensmith

Graduate Assistant

Ryan Klingensmith joined the Student Success Center in August 2023 as a Graduate Assistant. She is a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders within the College of Health and Human Development. Before her studies at Penn State, Ryan earned her B.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Science with a certificate in American Sign Language from Temple University. During her time as an undergraduate she served as a Peer Mentor for college students with disabilities, a class representative on the Student-Faculty Committee, and a food pantry attendant at The Cherry Pantry; all of which have shaped her passions for promoting equitable and accessible standards for institutions of higher education. The role of SSC Graduate Assistant, Ryan will support Penn State students as a Complete Penn State success coach, contribute to our first-generation events and initiatives, and oversee the SSC's social media and marketing initiatives.

Caylie Taylor