Student Success & Undergraduate Affairs Update
NSM Participation in CliftonStrengths Certification Training
Two members of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – Ashley Askew, M.Ed., director of special programs and data specialist, and Mariam Afzal Manuel, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in teachHOUSTON – were selected for the second cohort of the University of Houston CliftonStrengths Certification program. They completed a weeklong professional development training held Dec. 15–19, 2025.
The CliftonStrengths Certification focuses on building skills to facilitate strengths-based conversations and integrate the CliftonStrengths framework into teaching, advising, mentoring and programmatic work across the university. The program supports UH’s broader strengths-based campus initiative, which seeks to embed strengths-based practices throughout the student, faculty and staff experience to promote engagement, belonging and student success. Certified coaches help advance a shared strengths-based language and approach across campus.
Within NSM, this training expands capacity to incorporate strengths-based practices into student-facing programs, faculty and staff collaboration, and data-informed support structures.
Office of First Year Programs Update
Recruitment, Transition and Retention
Cougar Preview
On Saturday, Nov. 8, the Office of First Year Programs partnered with the Office of Admissions and the colleges to host Cougar Preview #2, an open-house event for prospective students and guests. The College provided an academic information session highlighting its mission, academic departments, student resources and signature experiences, followed by a student panel featuring six Student Leadership Team (SLT) members.
Guests were also given the opportunity to participate in a meet-and-greet with SLT members or join a tour of NSM facilities. The College was represented by two OFYP professionals, Natalie Sumrow, and 15 SLT members. A total of 49 prospective students expressed interest in attending, with 29 prospective students and 34 guests participating in the event, for a total attendance of 63.
Student Leadership Team (SLT) Update
Study Nights
The Office of First Year Programs Student Leadership Team (SLT) partnered with the Scholar Enrichment Programs (SEP) Embedded Tutors to host Study Nights in support of first-year academic success.
- Chemistry I Study Nights: Oct. 23 and Nov. 20
- Calculus I Study Night: Nov. 12
General SLT Meetings
General SLT meetings were held on Oct. 2 and Nov. 13. Meetings included debriefs of recent events, overviews of upcoming activities, team-building exercises, professional development and recognition of graduating seniors.
Volunteer Event #2
OFYP hosted its second volunteer event on Friday, Nov. 7, at Project C.U.R.E. The event was attended by six first-year students and eight SLT members.
Peer Mentorship Program Sweet Celebration
OFYP, in partnership with SLT, hosted the Peer Mentorship Program Sweet Celebration on Dec. 9. The event provided an opportunity for students to meet with their mentors before the end of the semester and celebrate their first-semester accomplishments. A total of 18 students attended.
teachHOUSTON Update
teachHOUSTON, in collaboration with the NSM Career Center, hosted a Graduation Cap and Cord Extravaganza for NSM graduates. The event provided students with the opportunity to transform their graduation caps into personalized works of art while completing the NSM Graduation Survey.
In addition to creative activities, graduates connected with peers, learned more about teachHOUSTON’s award-winning alternative teacher certification program, and explored post-graduation resources and support available through the NSM Career Center.
NSM Career Center Updates
The NSM Career Center welcomes Shashank Chandgude as its new part-time information systems analyst. In this role, Chandgude will support the center’s technical infrastructure, including the Enterprise System, HireNSM, while also developing business processes and engaging employers through targeted outreach initiatives. A graduate of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics’ computer science master’s program, Chandgude returns to campus with a strong technical background. The NSM Career Center looks forward to his contributions to supporting students and employer partnerships.