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The overall goal of the Student Experience is to provide an exceptional student experience that aligns with improved retention and timely graduation:

• Reinforce essential student skills through curriculum: Prepare students for lifelong learning by empowering them with essential learning skills. Strengthen the curriculum of all programs with experience in critical thinking, communication, applied learning and research.
• Expand out-of-class engagement: Supplement the classroom experience with a wide range of out-of-class learning activities.
• Promote student physical and mental well-being: Provide students with resources to help maintain their physical and mental health.

View the Student Experience components of the Strategic Plan.

As we continue to support these strategies, we are expanding to include the five major lines of effort (or ideals) below:

Experiential Learning

Structured, hands-on learning opportunities that connect academic theory to real-world practice through active participation and critical reflection. This includes both in-class and out-of-class experiences such as undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, service-learning and project-based coursework. These activities promote skill development, intercultural competence, and deeper understanding by empowering students to apply knowledge in meaningful and transformative ways.

Academic Success

Achieving both academic milestones and developing broader skills and qualities that contribute to a student's overall development and future success. This includes aspects such as engagement, life skills and well-being to meet educational goals, acquire necessary knowledge and skills and foster a passion for learning.

Global Engagement

The educational experiences that provide academic, cultural and professional learning in international contexts, as well as in domestic settings that intentionally engage with global themes and communities. This includes programs that promote cross-cultural understanding, global awareness and personal growth through immersive, reflective and transformative learning opportunities beyond the traditional classroom.

Leadership and Empowerment

Leadership is a student's ability to positively influence, motivate and guide their peers and the broader university community towards achieving common goals. This includes academic responsibilities and extends to service and engagement within the educational environment. Empowerment refers to granting students authority and confidence to actively participate in and influence their own education. This includes taking ownership of their learning, making choices about their education and leading initiatives within the school environment.

Elevate Students

Promoting student growth and well-being, often in social and emotional domains. It involves raising their level of achievement, confidence, and positive outlook. This includes providing enriching extracurricular activities, fostering a sense of belonging, and providing additional support to those who need it.

These ideals encompass what it means to be an Eagle. They are deliberate and integrated actions on the part of our university staff and faculty that allow us to produce the next generation of leaders in the aviation and aerospace industry.

SIT Members

Chair

• Dr. Kelly Austin, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost — University Administration

Co-Leads

• Dr. Aaron Clevenger, Assistant Provost for International Education — University Administration
• Alan Dayton, Associate Vice President, Student Success — Daytona Beach

Executive Committee

• Dr. Anne Boettcher, Assistant Dean of Research — Prescott
• Dr. Rachel Burleson, Director of Athletics — Daytona Beach
• Dr. Theresa Crichfield, Dean of Students — Daytona Beach
• Jennifer Fox, Director, International Student Engagement and Outreach — Daytona Beach
• Dr. Zafer Hatahet, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences — Prescott
• Amy Jefts, Dean of Student Support — Daytona Beach
• Sue Macchiarella, Director, Study Abroad & Global Engagement — Daytona Beach
• Dr. Bettina Mrusek, Dean, College of Aviation — Worldwide
• Rich Nicols, Assistant Dean, Retention and Parent Student Programs — Daytona Beach
• Dr. Jennah Perry, Dean of Student Success — Prescott
• Henry Ponciano, Dean of Students — Worldwide
• LTC (Dr.) Jerry Reitano, Commander, Army ROTC Battalion — Daytona Beach
• Jennifer Schaeffer, Director, Nationally Competitive Awards & Scholar Development — University Administration

Advisory Members

• Dr. Riccardo Bevilacqua, Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs — University Administration
• Dr. Eduardo Divo, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs — University Administration
• Maria Franco, Executive Director of Institutional Research — University Administration
• Julie Ferguson, University Registrar — University Administration
• Dr. Will Miller, Associate Vice President for Continuous Improvement & Institutional Performance — University Administration
• Chris Whippy, Chief Business Officer — Daytona Beach

The overall goal of the Enrollment Management SIT is to implement an adaptive enrollment vision and associated management plan that supports Embry-Riddle's unique identity and mission.

• Enrollment with a Purpose: Optimize the recruitment process to support student success, program health and the financial strength of the university.
• Retention Focused Admissions: Use data analytics in the admission process to identify opportunities for maximum retention.
• Implement Strategic Enrollment Management Plan (SEMP) Initiatives: Partnering with Office of Information Technology, implement highest priority enrollment initiatives to support external visibility, marketing and data analysis.
• Centralized Recruitment: Leverage the strength of the centralized Enrollment Management organization to provide consistent support for all academic units and applicants in an efficient manner.
• Enrollment Marketing: Use marketing tools and resources with high return on investment (ROI) to identify, recruit and enroll a diverse student body across all campuses and programs.
• Transfer and Graduate Enrollment: Maximize opportunities for student enrollment by strengthening relationships with transfer institutions, community organizations, government, and industry and military partnerships.
• Financial Aid/IFS Optimization: Provide long-term stewardship of resources by optimizing the use of IFS and philanthropic support.

View the Enrollment Management components of the Strategic Plan.

SIT Members

• Chair: Jason Ruckert, Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Student Affairs
• Michael Novak, Dean of Enrollment Management — Worldwide
• Bryan Dougherty, Dean of Enrollment Management — Prescott
• BJ Adams, Dean of Enrollment Management — Daytona Beach
• Amanda Murawski, Executive Director of Web Strategy
• Kristen Weitzel, Executive Director of Enrollment Marketing and Digital Strategy
• Denise Lind, Director of Accounting and Financial Projects
• Melanie Rohrbacher, Director of Operations for the SVP of EMMSA

The overall goal of the Academic and Faculty Excellence SIT is to achieve academic excellence with exceptional programs and outstanding faculty:

• Ensure the relevancy of academic programs: Update the curriculum regularly to provide students with the latest industry-relevant knowledge and experiences.
• Ensure continuous improvement of instruction: Provide opportunities for faculty to continuously improve their instructional skills.
• Expand faculty role in student retention initiatives: Involve faculty in designing and evaluating measures to improve retention rates through collaboration with academic support units.
• Recruit and support outstanding faculty: Enhance best practices for faculty recruitment and retention.

View the Academic and Faculty Excellence components of the Strategic Plan.

SIT Members

Chair

• Kelly Austin, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost — University Administration

Executive Committee

• Eduardo Divo, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
• Bert Zarb, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
• Will Miller, Associate Vice President for Continuous Improvement & Institutional Performance
• Mary Frances Causey, Chief Business Officer — Prescott
• James Gregory, Dean and Professor, College of Engineering — Daytona Beach
• Alan Stolzer, Dean and Professor, College of Aviation — Daytona Beach
• Bettina Mrusek, Dean and Associate Professor, College of Aviation — Worldwide
• Tom Drape, Dean and Professor, College of Business, Security and Intelligence — Prescott
• Maneesh Sharma, Dean and Professor, College of Business — Worldwide
• Cheily Diaz, Director, Compensation and HR Compliance
• Julie Ferguson, University Registrar

Steering Committee

• Eduardo Divo, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
• Keith Wilson, Assistant Dean of Curriculum & Accreditation and Assistant Professor, College of Aviation — Worldwide
• Farshid Azadian, Chair and Professor, Department of Management, Marketing and Operations — Daytona Beach
• Ashley Lear, Professor of Humanities and Composition — Daytona Beach
• Marti Klemm, Associate Professor of Aeronautical Science — Daytona Beach
• Stacey McIntire, Chair and Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical Science — Prescott
• Hadi Ali, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering — Prescott
• Deborah Prosser, Hunt Library Director
• Angela Atwell, Executive Director, RCTLE — Worldwide
• Adam Raab, Associate Director of Rankings Research and Outreach, Institutional Research
• Claudia Cornejo Happel, Director of CTLE — Daytona Beach
• Meachelle Darley, Associate Athletics Director for Internal Affairs — Daytona Beach
• Lin Zhao, Senior Associate Dean and Professor, College of Business — Daytona Beach
• Dean Goon, Dean of Academic Innovation — Worldwide
• Joshua Caulkins, Director of CTLE — Prescott
• Heidi Steinhauer, Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Engineering Fundamentals — Daytona Beach

Strategy Sub-Groups

• Relevancy of Academic Programs — Lin Zhao (lead)
• Continuous Improvement of Instruction — Dean Goon (lead)
• Faculty Role on Student Retention — Joshua Caulkins (lead)
• Faculty Recruitment and Retention — Heidi Steinhauer (lead)

The overall goal of the Research and Innovation SIT is to advance Embry-Riddle's research enterprise through groundbreaking aerospace and aviation research, innovation and scholarly activity:

• Signature Research Areas: Focus resources in research center development and other select areas that yield external recognition for excellence to help elevate rankings and the value of degrees that students are earning.
• Focused Graduate Programs: Build excellence in a limited number of graduate programs that can compete for national recognition.
• Undergraduate Discovery: Integrate research as a critical element to enrich the undergraduate curriculum and spur innovation.
• Innovation: Accelerate the advancement of processes, methods and applications through discovery, innovation, and business and industry partnership.

View the Research and Innovation components of the Strategic Plan.

SIT Members

• Chair: Jeremy Ernst, Vice President for Research & Doctoral Programs
• Ahmed F. Abdelghany, Associate Dean for Research & Professor of Operations Management — Daytona Beach
• Aroh Barjatya, Associate Dean of Research, CSAR Interim Executive Director & Professor of Engineering Physics — Daytona Beach
• Mihhail Berezovski, Associate Professor of Mathematics & Director of Undergraduate Research — Daytona Beach
• Riccardo Bevilacqua, Interim Associate Dean for Research & Professor of Aerospace Engineering — Daytona Beach
• Sandra Boetcher, Interim Department Chair and Professor — Daytona Beach
• Anne Boettcher, Assistant Dean of Research — Prescott
• Daniel J. Diessner, Director for the Center for Aerospace Resilience
• Nanette Guzman, Director, Office of Sponsored Research Administration
• Troy Henderson, Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering — Daytona Beach
• Barbara Holder, Associate Professor of the School of Graduate Studies — Daytona Beach
• David Hopfe, Research Development Coordinator
• Kimberly A. Luthi, Interim Department Chair and Assistant Professor of the Practice — Worldwide
• Tasos S. Lyrintzis, Chair & Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering — Daytona Beach
• Ronnie Mack, Interim Director of Research Park Initiatives
• Stacey Mumbower, Assistant Professor, College of Business — Worldwide
• Deborah Prosser, Hunt Library Director — Daytona Beach
• Jonathan B. Snively, Professor of Engineering Physics — Daytona Beach
• Chris Whippy, Chief Business Officer — Daytona Beach
• Scott Winter, Associate Dean for Research & Associate Professor of School of Graduate Studies — Daytona Beach

The overall goal of the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement SIT is to establish a culture of philanthropy that supports Embry-Riddle's advancement and aligns with the goals of its Strategic Plan:

• Institutional Engagement: Engage the entire university in support of philanthropy, and alumni and donor engagement.
• Alumni Engagement: Purposefully engage alumni, increasing alumni involvement, pride, volunteerism and giving.
• Donor Base Growth and Retention: Grow donor base by identifying and engaging new individual and corporate prospects and establishing a culture of philanthropy. Improve donor retention through effective outreach and engagement.
• Comprehensive Campaign: Plan and execute Embry-Riddle's first comprehensive campaign with a focus on student and faculty support.

View the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement components of the Strategic Plan.