Susanne Fenske, Ph.D., has accepted the position of vice president of student affairs
for Clarion University. Fenske, who currently is director of student development for
Waukesha County (Wisc.) Technical College, will begin July 6 at Clarion.
"After conducting a competitive national search, I am very pleased that Dr. Fenske has agreed to join the leadership of Clarion University," said Clarion President Karen M. Whitney, Ph.D. "She brings a wealth of experiences to Clarion, centered around our number one goal: student success."
"I am very passionate about providing a quality student experience," Fenske said of her decision to pursue the position at Clarion. "I like to focus on systems thinking – seeing how all of the pieces of the university fit together – and for being very detail oriented and strategic about how we provide a quality student experience. I want to ensure the work student affairs aligns with the direction and goals of the rest of the institution."
As an undergraduate student at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Fenske was highly involved on the campus, which shares similarities with Clarion, and she wants Clarion students to have the same type of undergraduate experience.
"(Student affairs) is in my blood," Fenske said. "I have that passion for student affairs and development. My background over the past 15 years has been in student affairs. I also teach in a graduate program to help other student affairs professionals advance in the field for themselves.
Her primary goal at Clarion is to continue the high quality of service to students and to move the university forward to the next level of excellence.
Fenske holds a doctorate of philosophy for the advancement of learning and service in higher education from Cardinal Stritch University, and a master's degree in student personnel administration from Concordia University of Wisconsin. Her undergraduate degree is in communication.
Fenske has been at Waukesha County Technical College since June 2006, where she has worked in administration and staffing; student conduct, behavioral intervention and crisis response/management; campus-wide engagement and student retention; and compliance issues.
She is especially proud of having created a behavioral intervention team, which she chairs, and of helping students discover who they are and who they want to become.
Fenske and her husband, Ron, have two daughters, ages 7 and 5, and a dog, Bennie. The family stays busy with the children's activities, but Fenske also enjoys cooking, reading and going for walks.