Student Engagement and Success

Student Engagement and Success is committed to supporting students’ transitions to, through and from university life and study and contributes to the University’s strong reputation in delivering student-centered programs, services and initiatives that promote the retention and persistence of a diverse population of learners. The department is comprised of six units: Student Transition and Success Centre; Academic Learning Centre; Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre; International Centre; English Language Centre; and Communications and Outreach.

Executive Director of Student Engagement and Success

  • Brandy Usick, EdD

    Brandy has enjoyed working at the UM supporting students for over 20 years. She provides leadership to a dynamic department that was recently reorganized to help meet institutional strategic priorities and the goals within the division of Student Affairs: Academic Learning Centre; Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre; Communications and Outreach; English Language Centre; International Centre; and Student Transition and Success Centre.
     

  • Brandy Usick Profile Picture

More about Brandy Usick

Through consultation and committee work, she provides direction on student services, programs, and policies and leads working groups that focus on institutional priorities including academic integrity and experiential learning. Brandy’s research interests includes examining how universities support students with family responsibilities. She is co-founder of and co-editor for the Canadian Perspectives on Academic Integrity.

Strategic Priorities

    Support transition and success through the student life cycle

    • Support students facing barriers to making successful transitions
    • Mitigate risk for students who are not thriving
    • Provide tailored programming for underserved student populations
    • Address needs of international students through enhanced transition and immigration supports

    Support experiential learning (EL) across the institution

    • Advance all forms of curricular and co-curricular experiential learning opportunities
    • Build EL capacity on and off campus

    Support reconciliation efforts and equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives at UM

    • Encourage ongoing staff training and professional development 
    • Meaningfully incorporate Indigenous knowledge and teachings into curriculum and programming
    • Work in good ways with Indigenous students, colleagues and communities

    On-going strategic planning

    • Leverage strengths and opportunities created by recent re-organization and newly created units to align staff and resources to meet strategic priorities
    • Collaborate with faculty and administrative partners to support the student experience
    • Explore ways to maximize available space and explore options for additional space to improve student experience

    SEaS Leadership and Staff

    Academic Learning Centre

    Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre

    Communications and Outreach

    English Learning Centre

    International Centre

    Student Transitions & Success Centre

    Contact us

    Student Engagement and Success
    Room 205 Tier Building
    173 Dafoe Road
    University of Manitoba
    Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

    Brandy.Usick@umanitoba.ca
    204-474-6237