Staff
The first year experience staff are here to provide support and guidance as students go through their first year at the university and beyond.
Mathew Chetnik, associate director
Mathew received his master's degree in student development from Appalachian State University and his bachelor's in English and black studies from SUNY New Paltz. As a first generation college student, Mathew has worked in residence life, orientation and student leadership at a number of institutions and has been involved in a number of initiatives related to the first year experience here at Salem State University. He has worked closely with NACURH, a national student leadership organization, was named outstanding mentor by ACPA, the American College Personnel Association, and was a finalist for the First Year Advocate Award through the National Resource Center for the First Year Experience.
J.D. Scrimgeour, faculty fellow for the first year experience
J.D. Scrimgeour holds a BA and MA in English from Columbia University and an MFA (in poetry) and PhD in American Literature from Indiana University. He has published a collection of poetry, The Last Miles (2005) and two books of creative nonfiction, Spin Moves (2000) and Themes For English B: A Professor’s Education In and Out of Class (2006), which won the AWP Award for Creative Nonfiction. With the musician and composer Philip Swanson, he released a CD of poetry and music, Ogunquit & Other Work in 2010. He most recently published Territories (2013), a collection of poems. Scrimgeour served as Coordinator of Creative Writing at Salem State for several years, and the Director of the Salem Poetry Seminar. He serves on the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival and is a founding member of the Salem Writers’ Group.
Anne Noonan, faculty fellow for the first year experience
Anne Noonan is a faculty member in the psychology department. She earned a PhD and MA in psychology at Boston University, and a BA in psychology at Framingham State College. Her research interests include the subjective and relational aspects of social class, paid employment, and economic mobility. She has served as Principal Investigator of federal research grants including a National Science Foundation (NSF) study of social support for science and math persistence among urban high school students, and two National Institute of Health (NIH) studies (one on religiosity, sexuality, and family relationships among adolescents, and the other on the relational resources of older workers).
Meghan Campbell, graduate assistant
Meghan received her bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in management from Sacred Heart University. While there, she was involved as a resident assistant, orientation leader, student ambassador for admissions, member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, president of the panhellenic council, and senator with the student government association. Meghan is currently enrolled in Salem State's masters in higher education in student affairs program.
Brianne McDonough, graduate retention fellow
Brianne received her bachelor's degree in earth science with a concentration in geology from Bridgewater State University after having transferred there from a private school in Virginia. While there, Brianne was a resident assistant, president of the residence hall association as well as the national communications coordinator, member of the student leadership council, secretary of the national residence hall honorary. Prior to joining the staff, Brianne was the resident director of a first year experience residence hall at Saint Anselm College. Brianne is currently in Salem State's masters in higher education in student affairs program.
Rachel Seavey, graduate retention fellow
Rachel received her bachelor's degree in classics with a civilization track from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and is currently in the the masters in higher education in student affairs program at Salem State University. During her undergraduate years, Rachel worked as a summer peer advisor with orientation, a teaching assistant, a member of the choir and theater guild, and completed the ROTC Civilian Track of Advanced Physical Conditioning course. After studying abroad in Orvieto Italy, Rachel spent several years working full time in marketing and event planning positions.
PRACTICUM STUDENTS:
Megan Wigon, MA Candidate, Higher Education in Student Affairs