Rebecca Fredrickson

Director, Career Connections

Rebecca currently serves as the Interim Director of Career Connections and as a Professor in Teacher Education. She earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership and undergraduate degree in Theatre and Special Education at Stephen F. Austin State University and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Texas at Tyler. Rebecca teaches courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.

Her research includes: 

First Year Experience (FYE) and P-16 Initiatives: Collaborating with our internal stakeholders to promote an environment that supports our First Year students and sets them up for success. Developing and implementing the concept of “Radical Care” within our climate and culture of FYE to enhance the educational experience for students as they are taking their first steps into higher education. Also, helping to provide continued “Radical Care” to the students as they move from first year through the “summer melt” into their second year. Additionally, of great importance, is to find ways to provide “Radical Care” to the faculty, staff, and students who are supporting our FYE students.

Building and Fostering External Relationships: Working within the institution to develop relationships with external collaborators. This includes the P-12 school systems (both public and private ~ working with them in multiple capacities), community colleges (strengthening transfer alliances and pathways to promote student success and completion), and additional external groups (to partner/collaborate in ways that are beneficial to both organizations).

Facilitating “Changing the World”: Working with future teachers who truly want to make a difference in their community and in our world. Fostering the idea that teachers can make this happen. Working with students (both undergraduate and graduate) to understand the processes, requirements, standards, and state mandates that impact them as future teachers, while still understanding the precious humans that they will have the amazing opportunity to teach.

Leadership and Team Building: Creating an environment that is mutually respectful, empowering, and professional. This has included working to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion capacity the team as well myself, and finding ways to recognize the strengths that each member brings to the group and organization. Working to increase department visibility on and off campus through the development/strengthening of internal and external partnerships. Implement intentional aspects of DEI within the department. Creating a means for collecting more meaningful data.