The past year has seen some big changes in advisement at the AAP! In September 2015, Latoya Watson accepted the appointment of assistant dean of the program; previously, she was an advisor with the AAP, as well as with the University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Since Watson's appointment, each campus has also welcomed a new academic advisor.
As assistant dean, Watson leads the AAP’s team of advisors, which is part of the Office of Undergraduate Academic Services in the College of Arts and Sciences. George Watson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Latoya will further enhance opportunities for providing excellent support for AAP students, both at the AAP sites statewide, and in the transition to bachelor's degree programs on the Newark campus."
In addition to Watson's position as assistant dean, the department grew considerably as three new advisors joined the program: Keenon Mann in Georgetown, Melvin Mendoza in Dover, and Nicole Kemp, who joined longtime advisor Howard Fishman at the Wilmington campus. Here is your chance to meet all of our advisors, below, in their own words!
Keenon Mann, Georgetown
Go Blue Hens! I was born and raised in Georgetown, Delaware, and after graduating from Sussex Central High School traveled down to Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where I received a B.A. in English in 2004. From North Carolina, I returned to my home state and obtained a Master’s of Education in Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education from UD in 2006.
Over the past nine years, I have enjoyed working as Director of Education, Technology, Cultural Arts and Art with Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, Complex Coordinator in the Office of Residence Life at UD and, most recently, as the Program Manager with Communities in Schools of Delaware for Milford School District.
I am looking forward to helping students transition from the Georgetown campus to the Newark campus. I am available Monday through Friday at the William C. Jason building, Room 115. I can be reached at keenon@udel.edu.
Melvin Mendoza, Dover
I’ve had quite the journey to get to the University of Delaware. I grew up on the sunny coast of California, where I earned a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior at UC Irvine in 2007 and a M.S. in Sport and Exercise Psychology in 2010 from Cal State Long Beach. I did a practicum with college student-athletes and found my passion for higher education. I then decided to earn a M.S. in Counselor Education from East Carolina University in 2012.
I started working in academic advising at Indiana University from 2012-2015. Now I am here at the University of Delaware. I briefly worked as an academic program coordinator with the College of Arts and Sciences on the Newark campus. I enjoy working with students from all over the East Coast and beyond. It is a privilege to help students navigate their college years. When I am outside the office, I enjoy playing tennis, playing video games, watching Netflix, traveling, and reading comics.
I look forward to helping students in Dover succeed in their first couple years in college and transition to the main campus. To schedule an appointment, please visit my online appointment calendar.
Nicole Kemp, Wilmington
I am new to the University of Delaware, but not new to advising! I began my advising journey when I took a position advising fraternities and sororities across the region, and then I moved into academic advising with students in the arts at West Chester University. I also have experience in event planning, and have been an active collegiate advocate for social justice and safety. Originally from Reading, Pa., I earned my B.S. in Professional Studies: Psychology, Health Sciences from West Chester University and my M.S. in Organization Leadership from Cabrini College.
I am very excited to work with students in the Associate in Arts Program at the University of Delaware, and I look forward to getting to know all of you and working with you to achieve your academic goals. I know that having someone that you can rely on to help you through your journey is invaluable, and I am happy to help in any way that I can.
Howard Fishman, Wilmington
I’ve been an academic advisor for over 10 years. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Brooklyn College (yes, I was a commuter too!), my master’s in Government at Cornell, and master’s in Social Studies Education at the University of Pennsylvania. After teaching and working as a project manager for schools for a bit, I started working in a college setting in 2002 at Temple University, working with both science and technology majors first and then fine arts majors. I then had the opportunity to join UD at the Wilmington Campus four years ago.
Ever since stepping on a college campus, I have found the experience to be stimulating and a place of intellectual growth and tolerance. I’m a political junkie and listen to music spanning the globe and ranging from Mozart to Marvin Gaye to Miles Davis.
I’m available in Wilmington five days a week — you can always reach me at hfishman@udel.edu or by phone at (302) 571-5331. I post my appointment availability on my door (Room 309), so sign up!
