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The �Թϱ��� has announced that Colin David Pears, Ph.D., founder and executive director of Highpoint Education, LLC, will serve as �Թϱ���’s next Associate Provost for Student Success and Chief Retention Officer.

Pears is an accomplished administrator, educator, and higher education consultant whose work centers on helping students navigate the complexities of college and equipping them with the skills and tools needed to succeed following graduation. As executive director of Highpoint, Pears leads a renowned higher education consulting firm that provides innovative and effective solutions to meet the needs of students, families, and organizations through a comprehensive suite of programs and services that result in significant improvements in student outcomes and organizational effectiveness.

Pears holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Honors from the University of Maine, a Master of Arts in Philosophy and a Master of Arts in Political Science from Boston College, and a Doctor of Philosophy from The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C. As associate provost, he will work in collaboration with campus peers to provide overall leadership for developing and implementing a renewed vision for a unified, supportive, and meaningful student experience from the time our students step on campus until they step across the Commencement stage.

Prior to �Թϱ���, Pears served as director of the Center for Academic and Career Success at CUA, where he enhanced student engagement opportunities in relation to their academic, personal, and professional development including academic and career planning and exploration, experiential learning, graduate education, service work, and employment and internship opportunities. While there, he also developed a framework of assessment tools aimed at gauging the impact and effectiveness of undergraduate retention programs and initiatives.

At the same time, Pears served a concurrent role as director of CUA’s Academic Support and Advising, where he was responsible for the direction of interdepartmental retention programs and interventions, pioneering a model of active engagement and mentoring of all students in all phases of the educational experience. He also held several academic titles in his time at CUA, including as director of the Humanities Program and associate director of the First-Year Experience for incoming CUA students.

Pears is the founder and former executive director of the American Dialectic Journal of Philosophy, a former book review editor, and nationally recognized educational advisor whose contributions to the advancement of education have been featured in Fox Business, Business Insider, The Forage, and more. He has spoken to numerous audiences and published several papers related to education, student support, philosophy, and bioethics. 

“Colin brings to �Թϱ��� demonstrated success in designing academic support and retention management programs, and I am excited to welcome him to campus as a member of our Nor’easter community,” remarked Gwendolyn Mahon, �Թϱ��� provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs.

Pears succeeds Interim Associate Provost for Student Success John Tumiel, who, in addition to his regular responsibilities as vice president for board relations, senior advisor to the president, and chief compliance officer has tirelessly performed the duties associated with the role.

“Please join me in thanking John for stepping into this interim role while we searched for a permanent replacement; he continues to be a source of support and outstanding leadership among our community,” Mahon said.