Student Scenarios

Unexpected financial hardships – a parent’s job loss, a family illness – can sometimes force undergraduate students to leave the University even as the finish line is in sight.

Complete Penn State helps students who are in their last two semesters of study and who experience a situation that may negatively affect their ability to complete their degree. The Complete Penn State program provides an array of support services and coordination of that support through a case manager, and if need be, financial support.

Student Scenarios

Here are examples of students who would be eligible for the Complete Penn State program.

Financial Hardship

A University Park student tells an academic adviser that she must take a year off from college to work full-time to pay for her final semester. However, through conversations with the adviser, she discovers that a Complete Penn State scholarship, along with moving home to Hazleton, will allow her to save money and complete her degree in four years. She is able to take a combination of classes at Penn State Hazleton, through the Digital Learning Cooperative, and through World Campus to graduate on time.

Family Illness

A student in his last year of study was confronted with the need to return home to take care of a sick parent. Rather than take 2 semesters to complete, he loaded up on credits (21). After earning a D in one of the courses that required a C, he left without a degree to take care of his mother. A case manager in the Complete Penn State program worked with him to find a way to complete his last course and earn his degree.

Personal Difficulty

A student is about to enter academic suspension because of a declining GPA. An adviser meets with the student and discovers that after one of his parents lost their job, he is working full-time to pay for college. A Complete Penn State scholarship allowed the student to reduce the number of hours he was working and focus more on his course work.

Denise Poole

Director, Student Success Initiatives

Denise Poole joined Penn State in July 2019 as the University’s inaugural director of student success, overseeing the Student Success Center (SSC) within Undergraduate Education. The SSC administers the Complete Penn State program and scholarship, leads programs and events to support first-generation student success, and supports a variety of retention and degree completion efforts at the university. Denise has served on a variety of committees, taskforces, and change efforts such as the Undergraduate Education Culture and Climate Taskforce, Commission for Adult Learners, First-Gen Advisory Council, Strategic Planning Implementation Team, Transfer Governance Council, Coalition for Student Success, University Advising Council, Approaches to Student Success Working Group, Transforming Education Steering Committee, Student Emergency Aid Distribution Team, The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I, II, and III), and American Talent Initiative/Powered by Publics (APLU) Steering Committee. Before Penn State, Denise was the director of academic and student-athlete support services and compliance officer. She was employed with New York University for 13.5 years and served in numerous roles and cross-campus initiatives during that time. Denise is also a Past President of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), and served 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 have 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. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in workforce education and development with a focus on organization development and change. Denise is a proud first-generation college student and a strong advocate for equity in the academic experience. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Denise currently resides in State College, PA with her family.

Lily Russell

Graduate Intern

Lily Russell joined the Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success in April 2024 to help support Complete Penn State reporting and process optimization. Lily brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student success to her role at the center. With over five years of experience at the Academic Success Center at Penn State World Campus, Lily has consistently demonstrated her dedication to supporting students in their academic journeys. Lily's work with the center will focus on improving existing processes and developing new ones to enhance student support. Her work is driven by a deep understanding of student challenges and a passion for finding innovative solutions. Lily holds a B.A. in Psychology from Cedarville University, an M.Ed. in School Psychology from Penn State, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Psychology at Penn State.

Bema Kyeadea-Amponsah

Former Graduate Intern

Bema Kyeadea-Amponsah joined the Student Success Center as a Graduate Intern/Success Coach for the Spring 2021 semester. At the time, Bema was a student in Penn State's master's in higher education program. In addition to her role at the SSC, Bema served as the graduate assistant in the Office of Student Activities. Upon completion of her master's degree, Bema returned to her alma mater, the University of Delaware for a full-time opportunity. Bema had this to say about her time with the SSC,

"I immediately felt welcomed and encouraged by the entire office. In this role, I was able to do something I enjoy and progress in my career professionally and personally. Getting to see the positive impact that I was able to make in the students' lives, the opportunity to provide some relief, guidance, and one step closer to degree completion. Overall, being a Student Success Intern allowed me to work in my passion and purpose for supporting students. Upon graduating, I have been able to use the skills taught and developed in my full-time work. "

Stephanie Cardoza-Cruz

Former Graduate Intern

Stephanie Cardoza-Cruz joined the Student Success Center as a Graduate Intern/Success Coach for the Spring 2021 semester. At the time, Stephenie was a second-year graduate student at Penn State pursuing her M.Ed in Higher Education with a focus in Student Affairs. While at Penn State, Stephanie also served as a Graduate Assistant for the University Park Allocation Committee. and as as a graduate intern for Campus Programming and the Office of Summer Session. Throughout her journey in Student Affairs, Stephanie found a passion for supporting students, building impactful relationships, and creating spaces for students that ultimately lead to success. Upon graduation, Stephanie moved on to pursue a professional opportunity at the University of Illinois. Stephanie had this to day about her time with the Student Success Center.

"My internship with the Student Success Center provided an invaluable hands-on experience that allowed me to truly connect, advocate, and support students. The SSC internship allowed me to grow by challenging me as a professional in a supportive environment. The SSC team is unlike any other which made for a welcoming and inclusive environment as I prepared to enter student affairs. I'm forever grateful for having such an incredible semester with a great team!"

Lee Juarez, Ph.D.

Former Student Success Center Coach

Lee Juarez served as the inaugural Student Success Center Coach from May 2020 to December 2021. Lee first joined the Penn State community in 2015 as a graduate student. Her doctoral research focused on the sense of belonging of college students who have been historically minoritized while focusing on the impacts of COVID-19. Lee made several contributions to PSU student support services during her full tenure with the University. These experiences included serving the office of Adult Learner Programs and Services, the Morgan Academic Center, the Academic Development Services (Penn State World Campus), and the Multicultural Resource Center. These experiences provided Lee with the opportunity to support a multitude of student populations, such as adult learners, first-generation, student-athletes, veterans, transfer, change of campus, and online students. Lee completed a dual master’s degree in higher education and comparative international education from Penn State in 2017 and a Ph.D. in higher education in 2021. At the conclusion of the Fall 2021 semester, Lee accepted a new professional opportunity at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, TX. Lee had this to say about her time with the Student Success Center,

"As a Student Success Coach, I had the opportunity to develop my skill sets and to craft my practice into my own as a professional in higher education. I have learned so much from this experience and gained a deeper understanding of the intricacies of student cases, barriers to degree attainment, and thinking critically about holistic student support. It is from this experience that I was able to expand my knowledge of student support and program development. "

Katie Derreth

Graduate Intern

Katie Derreth joined the Student Success Center as a Graduate Intern for Spring 2022. At the time, she was a second-year graduate student at Penn State University Park getting her M.Ed. in Higher Education with a focus on Student Affairs. Katie also served as a Graduate Assistants in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life where she coaches a few chapters and co-advises the Panhellenic Council. She has also previously worked as an intern for Penn State Student Activities, and as a Summer Intern for the Academic Engagement and Transition Programs Office at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Prior to coming to graduate school, Katie graduated from Elizabethtown College in 2017 and then worked in Admission at Albright College for a few years. Katie was very involved at her undergraduate institution serving as an orientation peer mentor, a tour guide, a division 3 swimmer and senior captain, and studied abroad, to name a few. Her experiences at Elizabethtown and in Student Affairs since then have all contributed to her passion of helping and supporting students in any way she is able. Katie had this to say about her experiencing working with the Student Success Center,

"I wholeheartedly recommend working in this office because you get exposed to a lot of different offices, resources, databases, and so much more. I’ve learned so much about what it means to work in higher education and how to support and advocate for students. I gained invaluable skills for my future career in higher education and was able to help make an impact on student’s lives at Penn State. On top of the knowledge I gained in supporting students and learning processes, I felt so supported as a person, student, and worker. The amount of support I had in just the few months I worked here was so amazing and I couldn’t have asked for a better office to be a part of!"

WanHsuan Huang

Graduate Intern

WanHsuan served as a Graduate Intern with the Student Success Center in Spring 2022. At the time, she was a first-year student at the Penn State University pursuing her master’s degree in Counselor Education emphasizing in Schools and Communities. As an Asain international student, WanHsuan is passionate about supporting students going through life transitions and adjusting to cultural differences. WanHsuan graduated from National Taiwan University in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. During her study at NTU, WanHsuan participated in an education club serving elementary students from low-income families. WanHsuan worked as an intern in a secondary school guidance office in 2021. These experiences have contributed to her ability to work with students from various backgrounds. WanHsuan is interested in facilitating the academic success of students and advocating social justice and cultural diversity. WanHsuan had this to say about working with the Student Success Center,

"This position helped me to see my strengths and weakness and provided a stepping stone to additional opportunities in my field"

Felrette Greene

Graduate Assistant

Felrette Greene served as the inaugural Graduate Assistant for the Student Success Center from August 2021 to June 2023. Felrette recently earned a master’s degree in International Affairs from the Pennsylvania State University School of International Affairs. Prior to their master's, Ferlette obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science University of Rhode Island. Throughout their time at PSU, Felrette has contributed to highlighting minority voices through the School of International Affairs Black Student Union. While supporting the Student Success Center, Felrette supported the Complete Penn State program, First-Gen initiatives, and developed and enhanced the office's social media presence. Felrette worked directly with hundreds of Penn State students and helped connect them with critical and timely resources to ensure their success. Felrette says the following about their time at the Student Success Center:

“Within this position, I have learned how to be an advocate for First Generation students across the Commonwealth. This position has equipped me with the skills to support students of different backgrounds. Within this role, I gained necessary skills that will be beneficial within my field as I advocate for Human Rights. I am thankful for my time in this role as I was surrounded by amazing staff members and fulfilling work.”

Halimat Ogembe

Graduate Intern

Halimat Ogembe joined the Student Success Center as a Graduate Intern in the Spring of 2023. She is a recent Spring 2022 graduate where she earned her degree in Accounting and a minor in Information Sciences and Technology. Currently, she is pursuing the One-Year Master of Accounting Program at the Pennsylvania State University and a graduate certificate in Business Analytics. During her time at Penn State, Halimat has been involved in a multitude of organizations on campus, including, but not limited to former treasurer for the National Association Black Accountants, former secretary for the African Students Association, and the former president of the Delta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Currently, she is a Graduate Workshop Intern at Career Services, MAcc Volunteer for the Penn State Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, and a teaching assistant/proctor for the Accounting Department. Post-graduation, Halimat will begin working for a Big 4 Firm, study for her CPA Exam, and research Master Programs in Corporate Sustainability to expand her interest and knowledge in environmentalism.

Christina Carter

Graduate Intern

Christina Carter joined the Student Success Center as a Graduate Intern in the Spring of 2023. She is an alumni and recent graduate at Penn State, where she earned her degree in Telecommunications. During her time at Penn State, Christina was a member of the Caribbean Student Association, The National Society of Black Engineers, and For Curlz Sake. Christina developed a passion for helping students during her time mentoring students as a part of her AT&T Believes/Junior Achievement mentoring activities. She is currently a Masters student of Strategic Communication at World Campus.

Caylie Taylor

Administrative Support Assistant

This position has facilitated my growth as a young professional. Balancing a 20-hour weekly commitment on top of being a full-time master’s student, graduate student clinician, student researcher, and volunteer in the community was quite the challenge; but the daily fulfillment of directly contributing to access and affordability initiatives at Penn State made it worthwhile. It has meant so much to be a part of a small but mighty team of women who are truly passionate about what they do.

Ryan Klingensmith

Graduate Assistant

Ryan Klingensmith joined the Student Success Center in August 2023 as a Graduate Assistant. Prior to joining the SSC, Ryan 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 at Temple University. These experiences shaped her passion for promoting equitable and accessible standards for institutions of higher education. In 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. Ryan holds B.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Science with a certificate in American Sign Language from Temple University. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders within the College of Health and Human Development.

Student Scenarios