Alum Promoted to Manage RISE Program at Madison College

A year after joining Madison College in Wisconsin, Jennifer Adams, Ed.D., ’22, has been promoted to manager for the school’s Retention Initiatives and Student Engagement (RISE) program. RISE offers advising, coaching, mentoring, tutoring and other services through workshops, events and celebrations.

In her new role, Adams is charged with:

Directing and promoting the RISE success coaching program.
Collaborating with the director to create strategic plans and set goals for the RISE program.
Advancing programming for students of color, first-generation students, income-eligible, military-affiliated students and students with disabilities.

During the rigorous interview process, Adams said she drew on her experiences as a doctoral student in the Department of Education Leadership, within the VCU School of Education. “I applied everything we learned about how to present data when preparing my presentation for the second round,” Adams said. Following cues she picked up from her faculty mentors at VCU, she added that she opted to present without using note cards, which “made it easier for me to talk passionately about the topic, which was what they wanted!”

In August 2022, Adams first joined Madison College, where she previously worked with the TRIO Student Support Services program. The move to Wisconsin allowed her to be closer to family and apply her leadership talents where she can make an impact.

“What our students learn in our program positions them with the skills they need to be effective leaders,” said Kimberly Bridges, Ed.L.D., assistant professor and coordinator of EdD Capstone experiences. “It’s rewarding to see our graduates put their skills and passion to work in meaningful ways.”