STEP Coaches

Megan Wigton: Hello! My name is Megan Wigton and I coordinate the Student Transition and Engagement Program at Salem State. I started the program in 2012 and have watched it grow and expand over the years. I deal with all the administrative aspects of the program in addition to coaching and supervising the peer mentors. I love my job! One of my passions is to increase access and equity in higher education, which I get to do every day through STEP. I am originally from Juneau, Alaska but went to college in Santa Cruz, California. I moved to the East Coast in 2006 to pursue my first graduate degree in theology after which I got married and settled here on the North Shore. I graduated with my masters of education in higher education in student affairs from Salem State in 2013. I enjoy running, traveling, cooking and eating good food and spending time with my family. I have two small children, a baby due in September of 2019 and an adoring dog. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you more!

Nikisha Jose: Hey ladies and gentleman! My name is Nikisha I am excited to be joining the STEP team as a success coach. A little about myself, I obtained my bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in black studies from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2016. My time out of school was spent traveling and working in the human service field as a social worker. While working with my clients I helped them navigate through school, various personal challenges and to pursue their dreams. It opened a door for me to tap into one of my passions in helping students succeed in higher education.

In the fall of 2018, I expanded my passion by starting my first year as a graduate student in the higher education student affairs here at Salem State University.

Fun facts about me: I am Haitian, I am obsessed with minions; even wore a minion pin on my graduation cap. Traveling is another one of my passions the farthest place I’ve been is when I studied abroad in Thailand for my last semester of college. It began my love of experiencing different cultures, foods, and history.

It has been an honor to join the STEP team and the SSU community and can’t wait to meet all of you!

Tim Erickson-Oberg: Hello, I am Tim, and I am one of the success coaches with the Student Transition and Engagement Program (STEP). I found my way to STEP because of my passion for staff development and training. I am currently a graduate student in the Higher Education Student Affairs program here at Salem State University. I chose to return to school and seek my master's degree after a 20 plus year career in retail management. Working with students has been an interest of mine, and I decided this was the time to fulfill a dream I have had since college
 
I was born and raised in Minnesota and have my BA in history from Connecticut College where I was also a college athlete. In my free time, I like to spend time outdoors hiking, fishing, mountain biking and sometimes just sitting on the beach with a good book. After a long stressful day, I like to turn on some music and spend time in the kitchen making delicious food.
 
With my master's degree in higher education student affairs, I hope to work in academic advising with a focus on student athletes. People ask me what it is that makes me tick. The best response I have is that I like to make people smile. To this, I strive every day to own my choices and try not to dwell on the outcomes, because at the end of it all they are my choices.

Sophie Robledo: Hey everyone! My name is Sophie Robledo and I am so excited to be joining the STEP team as a success coach this fall! I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2018 with a major in human development and family studies and a minor in studio art. I spent the last year working as a case manager at a homeless shelter for women with schizoaffective disorders in Boston. I love learning! And I am so happy to be attending Salem State. Throughout my fourteen years of being in school, I've learned many tips and tricks for success, and I can’t wait to share them with you all! I love to work out, listen to music, make art, and to spend time with friends and family. If I’m not doing any of those things (or studying in the library) you can catch me cozying up with my pet rabbit, a cup of tea and a good book. I can’t wait to learn more about all of you, and best wishes for the 2019-2020 school year!