ABERDEEN, S.D. (Press Release) – Northern State University has named Dr. Stacie Varnson as the new Executive Director of Student Success.

Varnson comes to Northern with extensive experience in the student success arena. She served as the director of the Academic Success Center at the University of Minnesota-Crookston from 2014 to 2019. Prior to that, she held the same position for Dickinson State University from 2008 to 2013.

In both roles, Varnson supervised several academic support units, including tutoring, supplemental instruction, student success programming, and writing and math centers. She also developed evaluation and assessment tools for program effectiveness and student success.

Varnson has designed faculty development workshops and has developed first-year experience components. She has experience with academic advising, institutional accreditation and student retention efforts. She also obtained a Department of Education grant at Dickinson State to fund their TRIO Student Support Services program.

Varnson will start at NSU on June 22.

“Dr. Varnson comes to Northern with a wealth of experience in student success strategies and implementation,” said NSU Provost Dr. Michael Wanous. “Given the amazing strengths of our current student success team, and Dr. Varnson’s deep experience and leadership track record, I see great things ahead for student success initiatives and the new Student Success Center at NSU.”

Northern’s new Student Success Center brings together critical support services including Academic Advising, Academic Tutoring, American Indian Student Services, Student Support Services, TRIO SSS, Upward Bound, Disability Services, Career Services and the Testing Center. The end result is a centralized center that further enhances the success of all NSU students.