First- and Second-Year Student Success (FSYSS)
We Are Committed To Your Success!
First- and Second-Year Student Success (FSYSS), formerly known as the Undergraduate Student Success Center (USSC), provides academic advising and student support services to aid the University in increasing its student success rates. FSYSS’s services are accessible to all students but are notably geared toward assisting first- and second-year students.
FSYSS's organizational units are designed to assist students in developing positive relationships with faculty, staff, and other students, which will foster a strong academic and co-curricular foundation at CSU and provide programs for students to learn the skills, habits, and dispositions they need to achieve academic success.
The First- and Second-Year Student Success office contains three units: Academic Advising & Coaching, OASIS, & Strategic Programs. Its organizational units provide academic advising; online and face-to-face tutoring and supplemental instruction; retention tracking; and support for developing social and “soft skills.”
Academic Advising and Coaching
Academic Advising and Coaching serves new and continuing students with fewer than 60 cumulative credit hours. Students with 0-29 credits are considered Freshmen and those with 30-59 credits are considered Sophomores. Student Success Coaches will meet one-on-one with students and assist them in setting and clarifying academic goals and negotiating the challenges of their college experience.
FSYSS Student Success Coaches view advising as an opportunity to expand students' understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and foster their intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning. Students and their FSYSS Student Success Coaches are partners in assuring students understand the pathways and requirements for their majors and identifying the steps for achieving the student’s personal, academic, and professional goals. The student and their coach have clear responsibilities and share responsibility for ensuring the advising partnership is successful.
How to Register for Courses at Central State University
You may or may not know exactly what you want to study. Either way, we are here to help you as you pursue your goal of academic success. Success coaches can help you make the right decisions in selecting a major and defining a path toward earning your degree. We can assist you in building your academic schedule, help you complete required forms, and point you toward the resources you’ll need to get where you want to go.
Whether you’re looking for guidance in planning out how you’ll meet major and minor requirements, or help scheduling next semester, we can help. Additionally, we offer support with the registration process itself and help if you find yourself on academic warning or probation. Whatever your circumstances, we can help you create the best schedule for you.
Academic Advising and Coaching
Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
OASIS stands for the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services. Are you a student seeking help in a course in which you are struggling? You have come to the right place! The OASIS program offers many ways to receive the help that you need.
OASIS provides academic support to all students in various subject areas. OASIS offers course-specific one-on-one tutorial sessions with a peer tutor or Content Specialist. Additional services include Drop-in Tutoring, Online Tutoring, Learning Skills Workshops, Finals Review Sessions, and Resource Lending to help students confidently complete their current courses.
Mission
The mission of OASIS is to assist students in developing their learning skills, improving their study skills, and achieving their academic goals.
Strategic Programs
The Strategic Programs unit is instrumental in the development, implementation, and analysis of varied retention strategies for students’ success. This area provides creation and implementation initiatives that address the Six Pillars of Access and the social developmental requirements of freshman cohorts and rising sophomores. Strategic Programs houses the USS 1000 — Undergraduate Success Seminar course, USS 1200 — Undergraduate Success Skills course, and the Marauder Achievement Program.
Strategic Programs collaborates on initiatives with other units within the First- and Second-Year Student Success, Student Affairs, each college, Marauder Leadership and Engagement, Career Services, Academic Empowerment and Accessibility, Residence Life, and Counseling Services to ensure students develop an academic and social balance that will enrich their collegiate experience.
Marauder Achievement Program (MAP)
The Marauder Achievement Program (MAP) is designed to support students on academic probation. Students are paired with a MAP Coach to help guide them to academic success by developing an action plan and educating them about resources that are readily available on campus.
FSYSS staff
Connect with an FSYSS team member TODAY!
LaKeisha Jenkins Washington
Executive Director, First- and Second-Year Student Success
E: ljenkinswashington@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6049
Robert J. Vidal
Program Manager
E: rvidal@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6419
LaKeysha Smith
Director, Academic Advising and Coaching
E: lsmith1@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6354
Adrienne Byrd
Director of Strategic Programs
E: abyrd2@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6184
Student Success Coaches
Ray Moon (A-K)
Student Success Coach
Majors departments: Biology, Chemistry, Exercise Science, and Sustainable Agriculture within the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture
E: rmoon@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6356
Michael Phelps (L-Z)
Student Success Coach
Majors departments: Biology, Chemistry, Exercise Science, and Sustainable Agriculture within the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture
E: mphelps@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6465
Rory Infante
Student Success Coach
Majors departments: Environmental Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Industrial Technology, and Water Resource Management within the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture
E: rinfante@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6486
Joi'e White (A-K)
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Social and Behavioral Sciences within the College of Health and Social Sciences
E: jwhite51@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6416
Jade Watson (L-Z)
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Social and Behavioral Sciences within the College of Health and Social Sciences
E: jwatson3@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6462
Carlos Rodgers
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Humanities and Communications, Composition, Languages, Professional Education, and Music within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education
E: crodgers@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6026
My’Kell Howard (A-K)
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Accounting and Business Administration within the College of Business,
E: mhoward@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6158
Fougere Jacquelin (L-Z)
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Accounting and Business Administration within the College of Business
E: fjacquelin@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6657
Tara McCormick
Student Success Coach
Major departments: Professional Education and School of Agricultural Education and Food Science, within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, Education, and undeclared students
E: tmccormick@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6670
Marauder Achievement Program (MAP)
Deva Baker
MAP Students; all majors
E: dbaker@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6471
Retention specialists
Nesiree Dickson
Retention Specialist
E: ndickson@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6085
Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
Terron Dames
OASIS Coordinator
E: tdames@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6247
Waled Mohammed
Natural Specialist
E: wmohammed@centralstate.edu
O: 937-376-6127