Adrienne White

Dr. Adrienne White serves as Dean of Students at Mount St. Mary’s University, overseeing student life policies and retention initiatives. She is an Affiliate Faculty member at George Mason University (GMU), teaching courses like Higher Education 685: Practicum. Her expertise spans student development, transfer student success, and sense of belonging. She holds degrees from the University of Tennessee (BA Audiology), Indiana University (MS Higher Education), and George Mason University (EdD).

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s in Audiology, University of Tennessee
  • MS in Higher Education & Student Affairs, Indiana University
  • EdD in Higher Education, George Mason University

Her research focuses on student success strategies, particularly through her co-founded NASPA Success Coaching Knowledge Community and co-authoring the field’s definition of success coaching. She has presented at NASPA Annual Conferences (2024, 2023, 2021) and delivered invited keynotes on student resilience and team management.

Awards & Grants:

• 2018–2019 Catalyst Grant Recipient (Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education)
• Lead on Mason Grant Submission Team’s 2024 Access to Excellence Initiative

Teaching & Mentorship: Advises graduate students through practicums and lectures on topics like transfer student success and institutional change management. Her courses emphasize career development, graduate school preparation, and academic resilience for off-campus students.

Professional Contributions: Co-developed national coaching standards and served as a reviewer for the Journal of College Student Development (2017–2025). Active in initiatives blending human and technological systems for student support, such as the “Care Network” project.