Introduction to the University Textbook

Thriving in College and Beyond: Research-Based Strategies for Academic Success & Personal Development, 2nd ed.

Joseph B. Cuseo, Marymount College
Viki S. Fecas, University of South Carolina
Aaron Thompson, Eastern Kentucky University
 

Author Bio's

Joe Cuseo holds a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology and Assessment from the University of Iowa. Currently, he is a Professor of Psychology at Marymount College (California) where for 25 years he has directed the first-year seminar, a course required of all new students. He is a regular columnist for a bimonthly newsletter published by the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, and has received the Resource Center's "outstanding first-year advocate award." He is also a 13-time recipient of the "faculty member of the year award" on his home campus, a student-driven award based on effective teaching and academic advising. He has made numerous presentations and authored many articles and monographs on the first-year experience, college success, and student diversity. He is co-author of the textbook, Thriving in College and Beyond: Research-Based Strategies for Academic Success & Personal Development, and two books relating to diversity that will be published in 2009: Humanity, Diversity, & the Liberal Arts: The Foundation of a College Education (summer reading), and Infusing Diversity into the College Experience: Research-Based Strategies for Appreciating and Learning from Human Differences.

Viki Sox Fecas has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina (USC). In her current role as Program Manager for Freshman- and Pre-Freshman Programs, she coordinates the career component for all of the 150+ sections of the number one ranked University 101 Program in the country. She serves as a career resource for international scholars visiting the National Resource Center (NRC). She also is an Adjunct Professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate program at USC. She was recognized as the Outstanding Freshman Advocate in 1996.
She took University 101 as a freshman at USC, and has been teaching for the past 18 years. Since 1995, she has taught the sole section dedicated to transfer students. Her research interests center around the transition of college students with special interest in transfers. She has written a career chapter for both the U101 Transitions book as well as Your College Experience. She regularly presents at both the National First-Year Experience and Students in Transition Conferences sponsored by the NRC.

Aaron Thompson is a Professor of Sociology in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. Thompson has a Ph.D. in Sociology in areas of Organizational Behavior and Race and Gender relations. Thompson has researched, taught and/or consulted in areas of diversity, leadership, ethics, multicultural families, race and ethnic relations, student success, first-year students, retention, cultural competence and organizational design throughout his personal career. He has over 30 publications and numerous research and peer reviewed presentations. Thompson has traveled over the U.S. and has given more than 300 workshops, seminars and invited lectures in areas of race and gender diversity, living an unbiased life, overcoming obstacles to gain success, creating a school environment for academic success, cultural competence, workplace interaction, leadership, organizational goal setting, building relationships, the first-year seminar, and a variety of other topics. He has been or is a consultant to educational institutions (elementary, secondary and postsecondary), corporations, non-profit organizations, police departments, and other governmental agencies. His latest co-authored books are Thriving in College and Beyond: Research-Based Strategies for Academic Success and Personal Development, Focus on Success and Black Men and Divorce and three books relating to diversity that will be published in 2009: Diversity and the College Experience; Humanity, Diversity, & the Liberal Arts: The Foundation of a College Education (summer reading), and Infusing Diversity into the College Experience: Research-Based Strategies for Appreciating and Learning from Human Differences.


(Taken from http://www.kendallhunt.com)