Radford University has named Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Waldron College of Health and Human Services Associate Dean Corey Herd Cassidy, Ph.D. as Executive Director of the newly-created Academic Success Center.
Cassidy will lead individual staff and provide daily oversight to “Academic Advising, New Student and Family Programs, and Student Success and Retention team members coming together to create the Academic Success Center,” according to an announcement by the university.
“Her appointment comes at a critical time in which the University is strengthening its commitment to the engagement and retention of students by focusing on the areas of re-enrollment management and first-year student success management through the utilization of a case management approach to enhance service delivery and expand program offerings in the Academic Success Center,” the announcement continues.
Cassidy has served in a variety of roles at Radford University since 2007, including Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, which is housed within the Waldron College of Health and Human Services, where she has served as Associate Dean since 2013 and Interim Associate Dean from 2012 to 2013. She also currently serves as the Director of the Center for Interprofessional Education and Practice in the Waldron College of Health and Human Services and has a secondary appointment as Professor in the Department of Interprofessionalism at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. In addition to her academic and administrative appointments, Cassidy also serves both the New River Valley and Roanoke Valley as a speech-language pathologist and early interventionist.
Prior to joining the Radford family, Cassidy served as an Instructor and Assistant Clinical Specialist of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at Northeastern University and Clinic Director and Assistant Clinical Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education of the Deaf at Idaho State University. She also served as a speech-language pathologist at various educational and community organizations in the Eastern United States, including the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Reporting directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and working closely with the Vice President for Enrollment Management, Vice President for Student Affairs and their teams, Cassidy will collaborate with the academic deans, department chairs, school directors and campus partners to maximize the engagement and success of all students through expanded support and enhanced service provided by the Academic Success Center team. The duties and responsibilities of Academic Success Center team members are to review and analyze predictive data related to first-year retention and persistence; utilize data to inform program development, outreach and intervention; share best practices, while collaborating with stakeholders and partners across campus; and identify barriers to first-year student success, as well as make recommendations and implement solutions.
“Dr. Cassidy is universally respected on our campus for her professionalism and dedication to student growth and success,” Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joseph P. Scartelli, Ph.D. said. “Her understanding of the dynamics involved in student retention and success will serve our campus exceptionally well. In addition, she has a genuine devotion and care for students and that makes her the perfect person for this inaugural position. I am so pleased that she has accepted this new responsibility, but more importantly, I am very excited for the students who will benefit greatly from her efforts.”
Faculty Senate President and Professor of Anthropological Sciences Jake R. Fox, Ph.D. participated in the selection process.
“The leader of the Academic Success Center will be at the forefront of Radford University’s efforts to meet the changing needs of our current and future students,” said Fox. “The Executive Director will need to carefully coordinate a diverse and dedicated team in order to develop and execute strategies to support our students. Dr. Cassidy brings the right temperament, vision, work ethic and student-centered focus that we need to lead this critically important center.”
President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.said Cassidy will be doing critical work for the university.
“On behalf of the campus community, I express my heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Cassidy for taking on this critical work in an expanded role at Radford University,” Hemphill said. “In leading the Academic Success Center, Dr. Cassidy will be at the heart of encouraging our students and ensuring their success. She is no stranger to this vital work as she has served in a variety of key roles and has been instrumental in many initiatives. I cannot wait to see what Dr. Cassidy and the Academic Success Center will accomplish by working together to serve our students in a new and profound way.”
Cassidy earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Pathology and Audiology from James Madison University; a Master of Arts in Communication Disorders from Appalachian State University; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (Health Care Administration) from Trident University.
