UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Since the summer of 2011, the College of Education's Advising and Certification Center has seen a complete transformation of staff. The center, composed of a director, five academic advisers and three administrative assistants, offers various services for undergraduate students, including providing information on internships and professional development opportunities and making sure students meet academic program and certification requirements.
Greg Mason is the director of the center and oversees its daily operations. He is the primary point of contact for all academic/athletic eligibility issues for student-athletes in the college.
When students enter the Advising and Certification Center, located temporarily in 113A and 105 Chambers Building because of ongoing construction, they are greeted by Cheyenne Swartz. In addition to welcoming visitors, Swartz also manages advisers' caseloads and is the first point of contact for the center.
Tiffany Benner serves as the center's certification assistant. She oversees the process through which students apply for any Pennsylvania Department of Education certification. She also is the secretary-elect for the Penn State Educational Office Professionals.
Samantha Roan is an administrative assistant who serves as the undergraduate records coordinator. She maintains students' degree audits in LionPATH and oversees the process to validate students' eligibility to graduate. She also is the college's representative on the Course Substitution Request System.
Each academic adviser is charged with assisting students in specific program areas. Advisers and their program areas are:
Suzanne Dannenmueller advises students in the Secondary Education – Social Studies and Secondary Education – Science options. She also assists with college-wide undergraduate recruitment programming and the College of Education Student Council.
Megan Foster advises students in the Elementary and Early Childhood Education (EECE) and Rehabilitation and Human Services (RHS) programs. She also coordinates the college's involvement in New Student Orientation and works with incoming change-of-campus students (students who come to University Park after attending a Commonwealth Campus).
Lindsay Hayes advises students in the Secondary Education – Mathematics, Middle Level Education and RHS programs. She also serves as the adviser to Education House, the college's special living option for first-year undergraduates.
Stephanie Hopkins joined the college on Sept. 10 and advises students pursing Secondary Education – English and World Languages options. She also is the primary adviser for pre-major Schreyer Honors students.
Kate Woodman advises students in the Education and Public Policy, EECE and RHS programs, and serves as the liaison to Penn State Global Programs regarding sponsored international students.
For more information about the Advising and Certification Center, visit https://ed.psu.edu/current-students/undergrad/academic-advising.