PASSWORDMANAGEMENT
EAI About Us
Meet the EAI Team
How long have you been with 大发?
I have been with 大发 since Fall of 2019. I started teaching for the career center,
moved over to the Dean of Students office helping with Cougar Care Network, and am
now within the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
What drives you to be part of EAI?
I love being part of the EAI team because I believe so much in this cause and the
support it can offer! By far, the most rewarding thing about this work is watching
the lightbulbs appear over students鈥 heads and helping them to connect the dots between
where they are and where they want to be.
What is your approach to student services?
My approach to student services is to try to earn trust by showing students that I
do sincerely care about their success! And then providing a bit of TLC when necessary, some tough love when necessary, and trying to instill some hope!
What do you do for fun?
I love going to the beach with my dog, hanging out with my two kids and cute husband,
singing in the car, jigsaw puzzles, country line dancing, stand-up comedy, wine tasting,
traveling!
Are you a dog or cat person?
Definitely a dog person! My golden retriever, Fergus, is the love of my life, and the best co-worker
ever.
What is something that always makes you laugh/smile?
My husband makes me laugh! His sense of humor is weird but always cheers me up.
How long have you been with 大发?
I have been working at 大发 since 2017.
What drives you to be part of EAI?
Working with EAI focuses on serving students in conjunction with faculty in hopes
of retaining and guiding students towards academic success. I appreciate being part
of a team that is passionate about the overall well-being of our students. As a first-generation
student having a support system was crucial as I was able to have someone I could
check in with, go-to for any questions/concerns, guidance, and support. Being able
to provide that to students can make a difference in their university experience and
can provide foundational skillsets for the remainder of their academic journey.
What is your approach to student services?
My approach to student services is best described as solution-focused while providing
holistic and specialized support to meet the student wherever they are in order to
best guide them to get back on track.
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy hiking, powerlifting, biking, and painting.
Are you a dog or cat person?
I like both cats and dogs. I currently have a kitten.
What is something that always makes you laugh/smile?
Something that always makes me smile is the view when you hike a mountain and you
can see everything from afar despite how hard the climb was.
How long have you been with 大发?
I have been at 大发 since 2006.
What drives you to be part of EAI?
I enjoy working with individuals who truly care about student success, which this
team does. This team approaches student success using collaboration and innovation.
I am proud of the work this team has accomplished over the past couple of years and
am confident in the positive impact made on students鈥 lives.
What is your approach to student services?
I support students by getting to know them, hearing their story, and truly listening.
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy being outside whether it鈥檚 hiking, going to the beach, or visiting local attractions
(botanical gardens, wildlife centers, etc). I was born and raised in San Diego and am a lifelong Padres fan 鈥 I love going
to games at Petco Park.
Are you a dog or cat person?
While I love dogs, I have always leaned more toward cats. I appreciate their temperament
and independence.
What is something that always makes you laugh/smile?
My son and silly animal videos.
Adam Petersen
Director of Strategic Initiatives for Academic Success
apetersen@csusm.edu
760-750-7327
How long have you been with 大发?
I鈥檝e been at 大发 since 2014, all in OUGS.
What drives you to be part of EAI?
I鈥檝e been fortunate in my time here at 大发 to work with a lot of really passionate
student advocates, both faculty and staff, but I鈥檝e also seen how hard it can get
on them when they feel like they鈥檙e doing their work for students in isolation. It
can be really draining to do this work and feel like you鈥檙e the only one doing it, and that鈥檚 what draws me to the idea of the Cougar Care Network: that we鈥檙e all part of a larger, interconnected network of people who want to help students succeed. EAI is a conscious and intentional effort to make sure faculty understand that they too are a part
of this network.
What is your approach to student services?
My whole thing is to try and envision and design structures and processes with an understanding that the student experience is not isolated and compartmentalized
in the way our University is. Every student should feel welcomed and included and supported in every interaction with the University, whether that鈥檚 with other students, with
support staff, or with faculty.
What do you do for fun?
Most of my energy gets spent on my kids (7 and 10, so yes, a lot of energy) but I like to play and watch sports (big NBA basketball fan and long-suffering Padres fan) and somehow over the last couple years I have come to actually find running 鈥渇un.鈥
Are you a dog or cat person?
I think I might be the lone cat person among the EAI team!
What is something that always makes you laugh/smile?
I love a good, high-quality kid joke. My favorite: what did the custodian say when he jumped out of the closet? (you鈥檒l have to ask me for the punchline)