The Hub begins student success programs with Dr. Landa Torrence
Photo courtesy of Golden Madume.
The Lee University Center for Student Success’ presence on campus is marked by "The Hub,” a core program developed at Lee with the primary goal of helping students excel. Within The Hub, Lee has welcomed a new team member for the Office of Student Success, Dr. Landa Torrence.
Torrence, who hails from Athens, Tennessee, spent 19 years of her life in Georgia. She decided to move closer to home four years ago, and Lee University welcomed her with open arms this past January. She now oversees the Learning Support program as the new coordinator.
This program was recently adapted to expand learning resources for students and faculty.
“Our primary goal is to support learning initiatives like Supplemental Instruction (SI) for the students and also to provide new techniques for the faculty to incorporate in the class,” Torrence said.
SI is a new program under this wing, led by a student trained in a specific course area that others are seeking assistance in. The SI leader runs two-hour sessions every week to help their peers develop a deeper understanding of the content.
Since Torrence was hired, she has worked with professors to appoint students from their respective classes to lead SI sessions each week, specifically in challenging courses.
“Landa is doing such a great job. She came in, we didn’t know much about the [SI] program, but [she] kicked it off,” said Amber Delong, administrative assistant to the Director of Student Success.
Delong was actively involved in finding the right person for this role and said that Torrence’s previous work experience in a K-12 school made her a perfect fit.
“Landa is a great team player, even if we need anything that’s not specifically for SI, she will get in there and help us,” said Delong.
Coordinator for Coaching and Mentoring Golden Madume works in parallel with Torrence under the student success program. He described Torrence as very engaging and positive.
“We really connect on our humor and she is always very approachable,” Madume said.
Madume hopes that Torrence’s work will take Lee’s culture one step closer toward academic excellence by encouraging teachers and students in learning initiatives.
“I don’t always have all the answers, but if I can help someone find [them] then I want to be able to do that. I want to be a source of comfort, not stress,” Torrence said.
Torrence enjoys using technology in education and is keen on expanding its use within higher education. She helps with the Aleks Math Placement Test and with using tools such as MyWritingLab.
“MyWritingLab is an online module that is made available to students who need to improve on their grammar and usage,” said Torrence. “The ALEKS Math Placement exam is a diagnostic online math placement tool that the math and science departments use to determine whether or not students are placed in the correct level of math classes.”
Reiterating that Lee has been welcoming to her, Torrence noted that she was glad to continue being in an environment where Christ is celebrated.
“I am glad that I can have authentic conversations with colleagues and students, and people can talk openly about their faith at Lee,” said Torrence. “Everyone is a family.”
As Lee implements resources to push students to the best of their abilities, Torrence hopes that her work with students can show them there is nothing they cannot accomplish.
