Kathy Zarges (She/Her)

For the last twenty years, I have dedicated my career to advising and supporting post-secondary students. My passion is working with post-secondary students and helping them achieve their academic goals. My transition from high school to college was challenging for me, but I was successful because of staff and faculty who helped me through that transition. Through my own experiences, I realized the impact that one person can have on a student's experience and success. I have also worked with students over the years who have struggled and have overcome challenges to achieve their goals. I have devoted my entire career to the field of academic advising and believe that advising and other student success resources can be an important tool that can assist students in being successful. I began as an academic advisor at Mitchell College, a small private school in Connecticut, and moved to Kent State University as a RETAIN academic advisor with a focus on supporting and retaining first year students. Throughout my advising career, I have gained more experience and leadership and eventually became an advising coordinator, director, and now serve as an Assistant Dean for Advising, Student Success, and Licensure. In this role, I oversee our academic advising program as well as several student success initiatives and teacher licensure. In 2018, I was awarded the Outstanding Advising Administrator award through NACADA at the regional and global level.

I am proud to be a Kent State University alum, employee, and current student. I am a Doctoral candidate in Interprofessional Leadership with a concentration in Special Education. I am so fortunate for the opportunities I have had to be challenged and learn and grow through my professional career! I earned my Master of Education from Kent State University in Higher Education Administration and my Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication Studies with a minor in Gender Studies from the University of Mount Union (formerly Mount Union College).

Recent leadership and committee membership at Kent State University includes: Project ADVISE, the core committee procuring a new advising technology system, and re-imagining advising, which is creating and implementing a vision for academic advising at KSU. In addition, I co-chair the advising deans group and serve on the re-imagining the Kent Core committee, reviewing the general education requirement. Within the College of Education, Health and Human Services, I sit on the Undergraduate Program Coordinators committee, Teacher Education Coordinators, Curriculum Committee, and the VOSS Equity and Inclusion Team. I am fortunate that I have had the opportunity to be involved in leadership with NACADA, The Global Community for Academic Advising, where I have presented, published, and consulted on a variety of topics related to academic advising. My leadership within NACADA, The Global Community for Academic Advising, includes faculty for the Assessment Institute as well as past advisory board member and past chair. I am also past chair of the Assessment Commission. I serve as a speaker and consultant and past advisory board member for the Speakers and Consultant Services.

When not at work, I love spending time with my family, including my husband and my three kiddos. My idea of fun includes baking, cooking, gardening, searching for beach glass, playing mini-golf and watching my kiddos play in the band and orchestra or watching their tennis matches and piano recitals.