GSC Faculty Elected President of Statewide Student Success Organization
By Karolina Philmon, GSC marketing manager
Dr. Valerie Calhoun, lecturer at Gordon State College, was inducted as president of the Georgia Organization for Student Success (GOSS) during the organization’s spring conference at the University of North Georgia.
As president of GOSS, Calhoun will lead executive board meetings, collaborate with leaders from the Technical College System of Georgia to strengthen campus engagement, coordinate statewide conferences, and represent Georgia at national meetings and conferences hosted by the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS).
“I am honored to begin serving as the president for GOSS, the Georgia chapter of NOSS. This organization brings together faculty, staff, and administrators from all levels of education in Georgia to discover ways to help our students succeed,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun, along with Dr. Ric Calhoun, assistant vice president of innovative education and strategic initiatives at GSC, co-presented a session titled “Strategies to Increase Access, Inclusion, and Engagement for All Students in Online Education.” The presentation was part of the GOSS conference, which centered around the theme “GIFTed II: Great Insights and Future Trends in Education.”
Since 2020, Calhoun has been actively involved with GOSS. Several GSC faculty and administrators have participated in the organization over the years and remain active members. GSC also hosted a GOSS conference on its campus last fall.
“Gordon has a long history of being involved in this organization and I am proud to continue our involvement this next year,” Calhoun said.
A first-generation college graduate, Calhoun has viewed student success as both a professional priority and a personal passion. She believes education is not only transformational for individual students but also for future generations.
“My parents prioritized education and were able to see their children and all of their grandchildren graduate from college,” Calhoun said.
Her roles and responsibilities at GSC have focused on research, conference presentations, and leadership efforts that advance student success across Georgia.
“The ability to guide an amazing group of leaders from across our state in our goal at GOSS of increasing the success of college students in Georgia is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Calhoun said.