Interim Co-Directors Named for the Urban Experience Program - University of Houston
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Interim Co-Directors Named for the Urban Experience Program

DSAES News
July 21, 2022

December 10 - Terence J. Turner and Colette McFalls will serve as the Interim Co-Directors of the Urban Experience Program effective immediately through June 2014. Terence and Colette currently serve as residence life coordinators for Student Housing and Residential Life (SHRL) in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services. Both Terence and Colette will maintain their current respective roles as the residence life coordinator of Cougar Place and the residence life coordinator of Cougar Village 1 while collectively providing 20 hours a week as the interim co-directors of the Urban Experience Program.

Terence received his Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Albany State University (December 2006) and his Master of Liberal Arts at the University of Toledo (2011). Prior to starting graduate school, Terence served as a manager/program director at WASU/Albany State University Radio and an account manager for Cumulus Broadcasting. While at the University of Toledo, Terence served as a graduate assistant in the Office of Academic Engagement. His duties included serving as a resource advisor and mentor for active international education students, planned orientation, reintegration and marketing presentations; designed and implemented social media/marketing efforts to increase awareness of the office; and, coordinated with multiple academic departments to support civic engagement activities. Following graduate school, Terence served as a residence coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition to his duties as a residence coordinator, Terence also served as a co-instructor for Leadership Journey Living Learning Community, collaborated with faculty and staff on freshmen transition programs that addressed retention challenges, and assisted in the development and assessment of programming, fiscal, and responsibility models for learning, academic, and thematic communities. He currently serves on SHRL's Staff Development Committee, SHRL's Opening Committee, the university-wide Retention Work Group, and is the advisor to the Initiative for Black Men. Terence is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the Southwest Association of College & University Housing Officers and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Colette received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Central Arkansas (December 2007) and her Master of Education in College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia (2012). Prior to starting graduate school, Colette served as a credit manager for Ferguson Enterprises and managed monthly accounts receivable of approximately $6.7 million. While at the University of Georgia, Colette served as a graduate resident and her duties included the supervision three different teams of eight resident assistants, the design and implementation of an improvement plan, and the coordinated supplemental preparation workshops for team members. As a graduate student, Colette provided consultation services for Athens Tech Community College Career Services, worked with Gainesville State students on goal setting and assessment of the outcomes, and contributed to "The Impact of Hip Hop Culture on Black Female Identity Development" research project. In addition, Colette served as a graduate assistant at Emory University's Office of Multicultural Programs & Services and as a conference services coordinator at Colorado School of Mines. She currently serves on SHRL's Assessment Committee, advises the SHRL Resident Assistant Assessment Committee, advises the Cougar Village Hall Council, and manages SHRL's on call duty response. Colette is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the Association of College & University Housing Officers and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

When Terence and Colette joined SHRL in June 2012, they served at the residence life coordinators for Cougar Village 1 (CV1). This unique opportunity to co-lead CV1 proved to be very successful for these two talented professionals. As individuals and as a team, they effectively worked with first-generation students, first-year students, residential Honors College students, and the faculty-in-residence. As the co-directors of the Urban Experience (UEP), Colette and Terence will share the responsibility of leading the department over the course of the spring 2014 semester. They will provide supervision to the office coordinator, Rachel Adams, the graduate assistants, Preeti Dumpala and Snehith Boya, and the student employee team. In addition to overseeing and assessing all UEP programs, activities and services, Colette and Terence will meet with current members of the program, the Grant Committee, the Alumni Network Board, and the Advisory Board. Dan Maxwell, associate vice chancellor/vice president for Student Affairs, will also work directly with Terence and Colette as they explore new initiatives and efficiencies for UEP during the spring 2014 semester and beyond. Their transition into the co-director roles will begin immediately and they are scheduled to participate in a half-day staff retreat before the close of the semester. They begin office hours in UEP in January 2014.

The Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services supports the ideals of UEP and looks to Colette and Terence to provide recommendations to strengthen the programs, services and activities provided to the students in the program. The UEP motto is "Lift as you climb" and their leadership over the spring semester will provide all of us an opportunity to advance the ideals of the Urban Experience Program in the division and at the University of Houston.