Sandra Addo has been named the new Administrator for Diversity and Graduate Student Recruitment for Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She officially stepped into her new position on Thursday (Jan. 2).

Addo, who will be based in CASNR's Dr. Bill Bennett Student Success Center, joins a group of professionals in the CASNR Dean's Office charged with recruiting and retaining the best students for the college, said Cindy Akers, CASNR's Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs.

Addo will be responsible for coordinating diversity recruitment of all students for CASNR through a targeted effort, as well as creating and distributing information and printed literature emphasizing CASNR diversity, its programs, centers and facilities. In addition, she'll market and promote CASNR graduate programs, develop an overall recruitment plan and participate in graduate recruitment activities.

"From the bottom of my heart, I am beyond excited to join such a wonderful group of people and help achieve student success," Addo said.

Prior to joining the CASNR staff, Addo served as admissions counselor with Texas Tech's Office of Undergraduate Admissions and a drop-in tutor with Tech's Student Disabilities Services. The Wylie, Texas, native received her bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing, and her master's degree in strategic communication and innovation from Texas Tech.

Other members of CASNR's Student Success Center staff include:

Macie Reese (2018); Program Manager for Undergraduate Studies. Reese is responsible for undergraduate programs, degree plans, transfer credits, commencement, awarding of undergraduate degrees, advising, and assisting the associate dean for academic programs. Prior to joining the CASNR staff, Reese served as associate director of application systems, and earlier led academic advisor in Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's School of Health Professions, Admissions and Student Affairs.

Shelbey Havens (2018); College Recruiter. Prior to joining the Tech staff, Havens worked as assistant director for recruitment and marketing at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center-School of Health Professions. Prior to that she worked as a sales associate with MEC Medical and ZimmerBiomet, as well as an office administrator with the Texas Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs. Havens received her bachelor's degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech.

Stephanie Legako (2016); Academic Specialist for Student Retention. A licensed marriage and family therapist, she received her bachelor's in psychology from Texas Tech and master's degree in human development and family science from Oklahoma State University. Prior to joining Tech, she served as a therapist at Blomquist Hale Employee Assistance in Logan, Utah; and lead therapist at Capstone Counseling in Logan, Utah.

Claire Cleveland (2019), Administrator for Scholarships. Prior to joining the student success center, Cleveland served as student assistant in Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She received her bachelor's degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech. While at Tech she was a member of President's Select, Chancellor's Ambassadors, Mortar Board and CASNR's Agri-Techsans.

Pam Urnosky (2001); Administrative Assistant. The Tennessee native assists in administrative areas related to Student Success Center student travel and CASNR's Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement (MILE) program for undergraduate students that seeks to develop participants' personal and professional skills, while exposing them to the key issues affecting local, state and national agriculture and policy. The program is designed to provide participants with a competitive edge when seeking career opportunities after graduation.

The Dr. Bill Bennett Student Success Center is named for long-time member of the Department of Plant and Soil Science's emeritus faculty Bill Bennett. Bennett joined the Texas Tech faculty in 1968, and was a trailblazer in raising money for scholarships to increase recruitment of students, in addition to spearheading creation of the college's Ambassadors for Agriculture and Agri-Techsans programs.

CONTACT: Cindy Akers, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu

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