TRIO Student Support Services

Kaili is the Director of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) & SSS STEM.  Prior to coming to UW Oshkosh, she served as the Director of Advising and Retention at Lakeshore Technical College and has been providing student support services for college students for the past twenty years. She received her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Education from UW Madison and is an alum of UW Oshkosh with a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership.  Currently, she is pursuing her doctorate at Edgewood College in their Higher Education and Leadership Studies program.

As a passionate higher education professional, Kaili is a strong advocate of closing equity gaps and promoting student success.  Being a first-generation Hmong American college student herself, she is committed to being a champion for supporting and celebrating academic and career success among first-generation college students.   

Chelsea received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Carthage College. She is an alum of UW Oshkosh’s Professional Counseling program, where she completed a Master of Science in Education with an emphasis in Student Affairs and College Counseling. Before working with TRIO SSS, Chelsea was an academic advisor at the UWO-Fox Cities campus.

When not at work, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her family and loves reading, scrapbooking, and Broadway musicals. Chelsea also plays cello with the Civic Symphony of Green Bay, so you may occasionally see her cello visiting campus!

As a TRIO SSS advisor, Chelsea hopes to learn from this distinct program and continue to develop student growth and outreach. Chelsea will be advising students in the College of Letters and Science and is excited to start this journey with the TRIO SSS team at UWO!

Linda advises students in the College of Education and Human Services and Social Work students in the College of Letters and Sciences. She has had various experiences within TRIO programs as an alumna from a SSS program and a Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program.

Before joining SSS at UW Oshkosh, Linda was a TRIO Coordinator for the Talent Search Program at UW Fox Valley, SSS’s sister program. She is a licensed Elementary Education teacher and earned her Teaching Certification from Marian University in Fond du lac, Wisconsin. Linda received her Bachelor’s degrees in Asian Studies and Studio Art from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. During her undergrad, she worked for Upward Bound and was also a Mentor for students in both Upward Bound and Talent Search while at St.Olaf.

As a passionate educator who works to empower the students she serves, Linda is excited to join the the SSS team!

 Mai’s pronouns are she, her, and hers. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and her Master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Mai has previous experience in TRIO Upward Bound, academic advising, mentoring programs, and program coordination. Mai has always been passionate about helping others, mentorship, and the significance of storytelling. As a first generation HMoob American student herself, she is extremely grateful to the pre-college programs and her mentors for supporting her. She hopes to continue building spaces that provide opportunities for growth, empowerment, and community for first-generation students, especially underrepresented students, as a TRIO SSS Advisor.

In her free time, she enjoys taking naps, reading, spending quality time with friends and loved ones, and exercising her creative side through art.

Lariisa’s pronouns are she/they. She holds an MS in Curriculum & Instruction and a BA in Gender & Women’s Studies from UW-Madison. Her previous experience was focused on accessibility and disability inclusion on college campuses, including working in disability services and being a member of the coalition to form a Disability Cultural Center on the UW-Madison campus. Her thesis work focused on the use of Universal Design in higher education to better support students, both in the classroom and in student services.

Lariisa’s advising approach is informed by her experiences navigating higher education as a first generation, multiply marginalized student. She believes in a holistic, trauma-informed approach that takes into account the many intersecting identities and experiences of students. Her goal is to serve as a valuable resource for students while empowering them to explore their own goals and interests. She strives to make her office a safe and welcoming place for students of all identities, bodies, interests, and support needs.

In her free time, Lariisa enjoys embroidery, reading, gaming, and watching birds with her cat.

Emily (She/Her/Ella) holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership and Policy with a Certificate in Post-Secondary, Technical and Adult Education. She is also a proud TRIO SSS alumna! Currently, she is also the Co-advisor for her sorority Gamma Alpha Omega.

During her undergraduate career she worked at various departments on campus; from Admissions to Career and Professional Development, to Student Leadership and Involvement as well as the Titan Advantage Program, to name a few. Most recently, she was one of the Student Success Navigators in Student Outreach and Retention, which she absolutely loved.

Emily is passionate about serving students and being a higher-ed professional. She is grateful for the mentors and friendships she has made at UWO, and those who have helped and continue to help her on her journey. She wants to do the same for all the students in SSS and at UW Oshkosh. She strives to build meaningful relationships with students where they feel heard, respected and like they belong. Her goal for her students is that they become advocates for themselves and learn the importance of asking for help early and often, and to utilize their resources to ultimately help them achieve their goals of graduation and beyond. She wants her students to learn the value of a holistic college education both in and outside of the classroom.

In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her daughter, partner, friends, family, and sorority sisters. As well as listening to podcasts, reading, writing, or watching You Tube videos or Gilmore Girls

 

Tom is an alumnus of UW Oshkosh, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. Following this, Tom studied at UW-Madison where he earned both a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, as well as a Master’s degree in Chemistry Education.

Before working with TRIO SSS STEM, Tom worked at the Chemistry Learning Center at UW-Madison teaching chemistry and offering support for learning and living during college. He specialized in study skills, exam preparation, creating study materials, and supporting students in both one-on-one and group environments.

Tom’s coaching philosophy centers on viewing college as a time for both building towards the future as well as finding yourself. Tom embodies this philosophy by fostering a supportive, fun, and relaxed environment to keep stress low and morale high. Tom hopes to use his rich knowledge of STEM learning and teaching to give students the tools to build themselves up and tackle their goals. He’s always excited to work with students and create opportunities for student success.

When not supporting students, Tom is playing video games, hanging out with his cat, annoying his partner, and collecting Garfield memorabilia.