Alex Kappus

Bio

Dr. Alexander Kappus (he/him/his) is the Senior Director for Student Success in the College of Education. In this role, he provides leadership for all graduate student recruitment, mentoring, and success and offers guidance to the Student Success and Advising Center (SSAC) to shape a vision for undergraduate student recruitment, academic advising, success initiatives, cocurricular engagement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Kappus brings over 10 years of professional experience in a variety of institutional contexts in four different states working in several student development functional areas including residence life, new student and family programs, financial aid, leadership development, and student success. He co-founded the Financial Wellness Collaborative at Central Michigan University, a cross-divisional effort to address financial education and basic needs insecurity. Most of his professional service occurred at research universities, but he also has experience at the community college level and in the private sector. Viewing diversity, equity, and inclusion as central to his work as a scholar-practitioner, he has facilitated workshops about engaging across social differences, equity, and allyship at institutional, state, and national levels. He is also a member of the inaugural Equity Coach program through the North Carolina Community College System’s Student Success Center. Passionate about socially responsible leadership development, Dr. Kappus has hired, trained, and supervised over 1,000 undergraduate student leaders in a variety of peer-educator roles, including resident assistants, orientation mentors, and more.

Area(s) of Expertise

His dissertation examined the lived experiences of college students involved in nonpartisan political engagement through the Campus Vote Project during the 2020 election season. Dr. Kappus continues to write, study, and present on the intersections between civic and political engagement in higher education.

Research Areas

• College Student Identity-Intersectional-Holistic Development
• Equity and Diversity
• Peer Interaction or Friendship
• Politics
• Qualitative Research
• Student Affairs Administration