(Talladega, AL) Talladega College Senior Vice President for Student Life and Success Dr. Pernella Rowena Deams announced that Dr. Lou Avotri has been promoted to associate vice president/executive director of student success.
Dr. Avotri, a consultant for the college who previously served as director of student success, will have oversight of student success, retention, and career services.
“I am confident in Dr. Avotri’s leadership abilities. She has the knowledge, experience and dedication required to help fulfill the institution’s mission and ensure its continued advancement by providing the highest level of support for Talladega College students,” said Dr. Deams.
During her tenure as director of student success, Dr. Avotri was instrumental in developing and implementing a mentorship program; spearheading a major fair; and establishing a smoother academic appeals process, which improved turnaround time for appeal decisions. She also assisted in the acquisition of a $1.2 million dollar science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) grant.
Prior to joining the college, Dr. Avotri served as director of student affairs and retention coordinator at the United States Sports Academy, where she provided oversight for admissions, financial aid, registration and records, help desk, billing, and special projects. She was instrumental in decreasing loan default rates and, through consistent outreach, increasing reenrollment rates for stop-out students.
Prior to the United States Sports Academy, Dr. Avotri served as director of transfer advising at Fayetteville State University, where she managed student success initiatives and dual enrollment. She developed and implemented policies and procedures on behalf of the university’s transfer students; established an orientation program for transfer students; and created and implemented the Students of Promise Program, which helped twenty-five percent of the students experiencing academic difficulties return to good academic standing. She also partnered with community colleges and grew transfer enrollment by approximately thirty-three percent.
Dr. Avotri earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in business administration and a Master of Science in business education from North Carolina Central University, and a Doctor of Education in higher education administration from North Carolina State University. In addition, she completed professional development programs with the Association of College and University Educators, Mobile Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, the Public Administrators Leadership Program, PWC Leadership Program, the American Association of Community Colleges Future Leadership Institute, Leadership North Carolina, National Academic Advising Association’s NACADA Summer Institute and DISC Certification. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Inc.
Dr. Avotri and her husband, Kosi, are the proud parents of four children.
