Lander University announces the appointment of Brian Hamm to the position of assistant vice president for Enrollment and Student Success. His duties at Lander include spearheading the university's initiatives for student retention - the percentage of students who persist in their efforts to earn a degree.
A native of Mint Hill, N.C, Hamm joins Lander after serving as director of student success and retention at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C., and assistant director of recruitment and retention for Arizona State University in Mesa, Ariz.
Hamm earned a Bachelor of Science in Science Education, a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University, and is working toward a Master of Business Administration in entrepreneurship from Lenoir-Rhyne in August.
"Among an impressive pool that included candidates from throughout the country, Brian's skill set, results-oriented experience and natural ability to engage with students make him a perfect fit for this position at Lander," said Andy Benoit, vice president for Enrollment and Access Management at Lander.
While at Lenoir-Rhyne, Hamm collaborated with college-wide departments to improve the retention rate for first-year students by 10 percent, and worked with at-risk students to decrease the number of students on academic probation. He also established communication plans to assist parents and families in supporting students, and taught introductory courses for freshmen and transfer students.
Hamm began his tenure at Arizona State as assistant director of University Housing, providing him with a ground-level view of concerns and issues faced by students. After taking on his recruitment and retention responsibilities, he led and organized initiatives, which focused on students from underrepresented populations.