Angela Zanardelli (au1072)

As the Director of Student Academic Success, Angela provides operational oversight to the Academic Success Center's suite of services, and offers broader strategic insight and leadership to support Wayne State’s ongoing commitment to student success. Angela employs the most current research in cognitive neuroscience to provide students with the tools necessary to enhance college-level learning performance. Her interests focus also on the effects of stress and sleep on memory function and overall academic achievement. Angela holds an M.A. degree in Counseling from WSU and a higher education teaching certification from Harvard University.

 (313) 577-2356

Office of Student Success

As the Director of Student Success Operational Strategy, Angela provides oversight to the university’s primary learning support services, the student progress tracking system, and is responsible for developing and implementing timely interventions in collaboration with faculty, academic leadership, and student support units. Angela also offers broader strategic insight to support Wayne State’s ongoing commitment to students by leading the Student Success Collaborative and designing operational plans to enhance the effectiveness of student success initiatives, projects, and programs.

Angela began her career with Wayne State in 2007 as a Learning Specialist focusing on the intersection of cognition and physical wellness. As her interests in the brain-body connection grew, she completed formal training through the Neuroscience and the Learning Brain Institute at UC Santa Barbara. Building on this expertise allowed her to develop a robust training program informing staff and faculty on ways to employ the most current research in cognitive neuroscience in their work with students. Angela also had the privilage of completing the National Intergroup Dialogue Institute at the University of Michigan in 2019. This opportunity positioned her to serve as a facilitator of social justice dialogue groups hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Angela earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Cultural Geography from Southern Illinois University, a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Wayne State, and a higher education teaching certification from Harvard University.