Highlighting Hanover: Katie Wood

Office of Academic Affairs / Director of the Gladish Center for Teaching and Learning

Katie’s discipline/operational role:

I work in the Office of Student Success as the director of the Gladish Learning Center. I manage a lot of the academic support services in our office such as tutors, study group leaders, student success tutors and academic probation coaches. My role also includes financial literacy and working with partners to provide support to all students with issues around financial assistance, planning and literacy, with a particular focus on students from our least-advantaged backgrounds, including but not limited to Pell Grant recipients and first-generation college students. As a member of the Student Success team, I also devote my time and energy to developing and supporting best practices for college retention efforts including LEAP (Learn, Engage and Prepare), August Experience, FY 101, Early Alert Team and Accessibility Services.

Why Katie does what she does:

I LOVE my job and all the different ways I get to interact with students. I do it for the fun and excitement that every day brings, but also for the big impact moments where I get to witness a student’s transformation during their time here. As a FY 101 instructor, I get to be a part of a student’s journey from the very beginning. It is truly a gift to watch them grow and develop into thoughtful and caring citizens, not just of the Hanover community but the world beyond.

What working at a liberal arts college means to Katie:

Working at a liberal arts college means that our focus gets to zoom out beyond just the academic experience. One of the ways we support students is to discover all the ways in which they are connected to their time at Hanover. Whether it’s athletics, clubs and organizations, a very specific major or a group of friends, we get to strengthen those connections that tie them to the experience overall. Working at a liberal arts college means that the learning will always extend beyond the classroom. We engage with students in ways that challenge them apply their knowledge in real-world settings and transfer their curricular experience to the things they are passionate about.