Panel I Members

Characteristics of Freshman and Transfer Students

Facilitator: Dr. Mabel Freeman

Dr. Mabel Freeman is the Assistant Vice President for First Year Experience and interim Director of Undergraduate Admissions at The Ohio State University.� She also serves as an adjunct Assistant Professor of Educational Policy and Leadership.��� Her work in the Office of First Year Experience includes insuring a successful transition into the university that is coordinated with a first year of academic and co-curricular experiences that personalize the university and result in higher retention and graduation rate for undergraduates.� She also works directly with recruitment efforts and the admission process for new freshman and transfers in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.� Dr. Freeman received her BSC.Ed. in Secondary Education and English, her�� MA in Guidance and Counseling, and her PhD in Education Policy and Leadership from Ohio State.

Panel Members: Dr. Bruce Poling, Hazel Pierson, and Judith MacDonald

Dr. Bruce Poling has been the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Engineering at The University of Toledo since 1994.� As Associate Dean, he has implemented a mandatory co-op program, increased freshman enrollment, successfully undergone the school�s first EC2000 accreditation visit, and implemented a new freshman success program that has raised freshman retention from 58% to 74%.� Dr. Poling received his BS and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University, and his PhD from The University of Illinois.

Hazel Pierson is a PhD candidate at the University of Akron, and serves as instructor at Youngstown State University.� She received her BSME at the University of Texas-Austin and her MSME at Youngstown State.� She is currently teaching in the Freshman Engineering and the Mechanical Engineering programs at Youngstown State while finishing dissertation requirements at the University of Akron.�

Judith MacDonald currently serves as the Director of Academic Advising for the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University.� In that capacity, she is responsible for coordinating academic and honors advising, Summer Orientation, and Engineering 100, an introductory survey class.� She received her BS in Ceramic Engineering from Ohio State in 1965.