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College Readiness
For Students With Mild Learning Differences
 
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Chris Doyle Director of Undergraduate Admission Marist College

“I consider myself extremely fortunate to play a positive role in the lives of young people and their families. It’s important to me that we consciously meet each student where they are and help them find their best fit college, even if it’s not at Marist.”

Meet Our Speaker

Chris Doyle is the Director of Undergraduate Admission at Marist College, his Alma Mater. During his 14 years in college admissions, Chris has led teams of admission officers through the rewarding process of building a freshman class of students from across the United States and countries around the world. His experience includes leadership positions at both Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD and Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. He has worked with high school students navigating the freshman admission process, transfer students transitioning from two-year to four-year schools, and adult students seeking degree completion. His belief that higher education is transformational for those who obtain a bachelor’s degree, as well as the generations that follow them, inspires his work and informs his collaboration with school counselors, families, and his colleagues in higher education.

Expertise

Chris considers himself extremely fortunate to play a positive role in the lives of young people and their families. He references a quote by Zig Ziglar: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” Chris and his staff intentionally focus on being positive while helping families navigate the college search and application process. It’s daunting enough for families, even for those with experience, because the landscape is fluid and the process continuously evolves. In recognizing this, Chris aims to consciously meet each student where they are and help them find their best fit college, even if it’s not at Marist.

Pierre Michel, M.Ed., PhD. College Planning Advisor & Guidance Counselor American Academy

“A person's mind, stretched by new ideas and unseen academic potential may never return to its original dimensions. For this reason, I eagerly anticipate exploring and discussing college preparation during a high school student’s scholastic pursuits.”

Meet Our Speaker

Dr. Pierre Michel works as the college advisor and guidance counselor for students with mild learning differences at American Academy. Dr. Michel worked in higher education as a human resource manager and adjunct professor. His greatest joy comes from developing middle school and high school students’ academic capabilities and supporting their families through the high school to college transition. During his leisure time, he enjoys playing golf, basketball, and long distance running. Dr. Michel and his wife have been married for 22 years and have three children. In an effort to give back to the community, he enjoys volunteering at HOPE Worldwide, The Urban League, and The Palm Beach Food Bank.

Expertise

Dr. Michel is a forward-thinking educational professional offering more than 20 years of instructional and academic advising experience in K12 and higher education. He has created and presented intervention plans focused on differentiated instruction methods to improve academic performance for students with mild learning differences. He has developed and delivered online and hybrid courses, leveraged online learning management systems to deliver instruction and mentored students on how to appropriately utilize classroom individual educational plans. Dr. Michel has repeated success implementing age appropriate prevention-oriented group strategies to assist students in meeting college admission requirements. For over two decades Dr. Michel has been successful leveraging data-driven findings to continuously refine initiatives and create personalized desired outcomes for college bound students. 

Credentials

Dr. Michel received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration, Higher Education from Keiser University and his M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University. He is the author of “Minding the Gap” the exploration of mathematics in K-12 and post secondary education. He is a member of the Science Math Primary/Secondary Education Society (SciMat) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Dr. Michel currently serves as the liaison for College Board services for students with disabilities, which helps facilitate accommodations and support for standardized testing.