Several new faces, and some familiar ones, are helping make a smooth transition for Midland University Student Affairs this semester.
Student Affairs has undergone personnel changes over the past two months and Jamie Simpson, Vice President for Student Affairs & Institutional Effectiveness, is excited for the experience and energy the new additions will bring. “We have such an amazing staff, and our goal was to align the jobs that needed to be done with the strengths of the people we have,” Simpson said. “We have a positive culture where people can find positions that build off their passions and strengths.”
Midland’s Arts Department is welcoming both a new director and assistant director. Joan Korte will serve as the Director of Arts with Keaton Kreikemeier as the Assistant Director of Arts. Korte arrives at Midland after serving as Professor of Theatre at Nebraska Wesleyan University. “We are so excited to have Joan join our team,” Simpson said. “She brings a vast amount of experience from a school with a great program, and she’s done a great job connecting with our team. Joan will bring energy and new ideas and is going to do great things.”
Kreikemeier shifts to his new role after previously serving as Residence Life Coordinator. “In visiting with Keaton, we wanted to find a role that aligned with his long-term goals,” Simpson said. “Keaton comes from the arts as a student here, and we are excited to take his skills and experience from working in Student Affairs to help in Arts.
“You can really feel the energy on the arts team. We have new people and new ideas combining with an already great staff. They will continue to grow and do fantastic things.”
Midland’s Student Success team has added four new team members under the direction of Keith Kramme. Keith brings a wealth of experience in his new role as Director of Student Success/Director of Student Athletic Achievement. “Keith is one of the most student-centric people I know, and he’s going to advocate for students each day,” Simpson said. “He knows our curriculum well, and he’s going to be great at bringing others along and being a leader for that team. He’s got a strong transition plan and is going to give the new people time and space to learn.”
Four new Student Success advisors have been added recently as Kate Schwarz, Beth Dorsey, Mariel Limon, and Amanda Timmerman join the team. Two current team members have new titles as Taylor Tucker has been named Assistant Director of First-Year Advising while Melissa Kinsella will be Assistant Director of Program Advising.
Liah Burke, formerly a Student Success Advisor, has transitioned to Residence Life to serve as Assistant Director of Residence Life/Programming. Also new to the staff is Nathan Spicka, who will step in as Residence Life Coordinator.
Morgan Savio has been named Director of Student Development and Engagement after previously serving as Assistant Director of Student Leadership & Residence Life. “Morgan has a passion to help students grow in leadership skills, and this allows her to focus on that and work with our various student organizations to expand opportunities for students,” Simpson said.
Midland is also welcoming Kelli Slagle as its new Director of Counseling. “One of the things that excited us about Kelli was her experience in training others in how to deal with mental health issues,” Simpson said. “We know there is an increasing number of students struggling with mental health issues, and they don’t always go to counselors; they’ll go to coaches, advisors, or faculty members. With Kelli here, we can elevate educational opportunities for faculty and staff and take advantage of campus resources to make sure we are supporting students to the best of our abilities.”
Simpson will officially transition to her new role as Chief Academic Officer effective June 1. The interview process for a new Vice President for Student Affairs is underway and the plan is to name a replacement by early April.
