Ashley Kowalski
Chesapeake,Virginia
Summary
Well- established analyst passionate about facilitating exceptional student experiences in higher education. Known for great attention to detail and strong interpersonal communication skills. Excels at multitasking and liaising with various departments. Friendly and adaptable approach. Ready to create and maintain a culturally responsive educational atmosphere that encourages student learning and supports school programs and goals.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Systems Analyst
University Of Maryland
02.2006 - Current
- Identifies and resolves functional and technical issues related to academic advisement and student records
- Serves as an escalation point for complex issues requiring advanced technical expertise, consistently delivering satisfactory resolutions within stipulated timeframes.
- Establishes effective communication channels between IT teams and users, fostering a collaborative environment for problem solving.
- Implements best practices in higher education administration, keeping abreast of industry trends and advancements.
- Continuously seeking new opportunities for professional growth and development, attending conferences and workshops to stay current on best practices in higher education recruitment.
Functional Analyst
University of Maryland
- Effectively communicated complex technical information to diverse audiences through clear writing, concise presentations, and engaging discussions.
- Facilitated smooth system migrations by developing comprehensive transition plans and coordinating closely with all relevant parties throughout each phase of the project lifecycle.
- Proactively identified opportunities for improvement in existing systems, proposing innovative solutions that led to increased user satisfaction.
- Delivered high-quality results under pressure, adapting quickly to changing client needs while maintaining a keen eye for detail.
- Evaluated emerging technologies for potential application in meeting business objectives while remaining aligned with industry best practices.
- Demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills, quickly resolving technical issues while minimizing downtime and maintaining a high level of customer service.
Assistant Director
University of Maryland
- Possesses a general understanding of the Academic Institution and it's various parts and interactions, including but not limited to: Departments, Courses, Classes, Students, Curriculum, Transfers, Degrees and Locations
- Assesses current trends in technology in education and develops recommendations for Directors and other stakeholders
- Ensured compliance with state education standards by regularly reviewing curriculum materials and teaching practices.
- Coordinates within department and between other departments to complete project milestones and fulfill requirements
- Created and updated records and files to maintain document compliance.
- Implemented effective conflict resolution strategies for resolving issues among faculty members or between students.
- Fostered a positive school culture by promoting open communication among staff members and celebrating successes together as a team.
Academic Advisor & Degree Auditor
University Of Maryland
- Received and reviewed transcripts to determine eligibility for admission to college or specific programs.
- Provided support and guidance to students experiencing academic and personal troubles.
- Developed strong relationships with students, providing mentorship and fostering personal growth.
- Maintained and provided accurate information on academic progress, program requirements, policies, procedures and dates/deadlines
- Established student performance goals and tracked progress toward meeting the goals
- Conducted daily outreach to enhance student satisfaction and maintain retention
- Helped students with initial adjustment to university academic life and interpreted institutions policies and requirements.
- Conducted academic advisement services for students on reoccurring basis to maintain educational progression.
Functional Analyst
University of Maryland
- Serves as the project manager for various PeopleSoft projects including revising the student academic reports and enhancement requests
- Serves as the functional lead on the advisory board committee regarding all enhancement requests and service tickets submitted by the Office of the Registrar
- Serves as the project lead for Academic Advisement workgroups that encompass members worldwide
- Successfully implemented process improvements including the testing and design of the Degree Audit Workflow process
- Conducts meetings with clients and management regarding analysis requirements
- Serves as the primary liaison for production fixes in Oracle between customers and the development team, facilitating change management and researching critical production
- Assists in gathering information from users, defining issues and analyzing results in order to design systems and procedures for process improvements and process standardization
- Identify data discrepancies between two primary systems and initiate corrections
- Perform functional design and test planning, preparation and executions such as the creation of data and scripts to test complex systems
- Maintain project schedules, testing metrics and issue trackers
- Establishes training programs that include selecting the most appropriate media and materials to ensure the content is understandable and applicable to the learners
- Acts as a direct link between higher and lower-level staff, as well as other departments to communicate information and decisions
- Consistently provides critical information to project leads that contributes to the timely turnaround of project and supports the overall success of the project.
Senior Transcript Evaluator
- Developed and updated military training manuals and policy guides
- Led overview assessment training of all new staff
- Prepared detailed statistical productivity reports for management
- Acted as a liaison between stateside staff and overseas staff
- Analyzed excel spreadsheets for discrepancies with military student information
- Researched and evaluated military documents and transcripts to ensure compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) contract regulations.
Advanced Transcript Evaluator
- Developed and prepared training documents for presentation
- Led training on academic policies and procedures to various audiences
- Trained new employees and evaluated their performance
- Acted as a liaison between internal departmental staff
- Analyzed military records and transcripts to ensure compliance with Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC).
Transcript Evaluator
- Analyzed student academic records and determined if transfer credits were applicable to a degree program
- Created written transcript evaluations, articulation reviews, special credit awards, and graduation clearances
- Established degree requirements that ensured students met their academic goals.
Undergraduate Academic Advisor
- Maintained and provided accurate information on academic progress, program requirements, policies, procedures and dates/deadlines
- Conducted daily outreach to enhance student satisfaction and maintain retention
- Established student performance goals and tracked progress toward meeting the goals
- Designed and implemented departmental programs that increased communication between students and staff.
Education
EDS: Community Care & Counseling: Marriage & Family
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA05.2026
Graduate Certificate: Autism Education -
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA08.2024
Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling: Military Resilience -
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA05.2020
Graduate Certificate: Military Resilience -
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA05.2019
B.S., Investigative Forensics -
University of Maryland
Largo, MD05.2015
B.S., Criminal Justice -
University of Maryland
Adelphi, MD05.2006
Skills
Course Planning
Academic Advising
Critical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Student Engagement
Mentoring students
Timeline
Systems Analyst
University Of Maryland
02.2006 - Current
Functional Analyst
University of Maryland
Assistant Director
University of Maryland
Academic Advisor & Degree Auditor
University Of Maryland
Functional Analyst
University of Maryland
Senior Transcript Evaluator
Advanced Transcript Evaluator
Transcript Evaluator
Undergraduate Academic Advisor
EDS: Community Care & Counseling: Marriage & Family
Liberty University
Graduate Certificate: Autism Education -
Liberty University
Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling: Military Resilience -
Liberty University
Graduate Certificate: Military Resilience -
Liberty University
B.S., Investigative Forensics -
University of Maryland
B.S., Criminal Justice -
University of Maryland
Similar Profiles
Haley HamptonHaley Hampton
Marketing Intern at University of MarylandMarketing Intern at University of Maryland
Christina ValentineChristina Valentine
AR Representative at University of MarylandAR Representative at University of Maryland
Stina DrillStina Drill
Undergrad Teaching Assistant at University of MarylandUndergrad Teaching Assistant at University of Maryland