Erin Wheeler

Thrive Leaders Alumni

Erin Wheeler, Ph.D., is Executive Director of College Beyond, a New Orleans-based nonprofit whose mission is to help students get to and through college. A native of Amite, LA, and a first-generation college graduate, Erin earned a B.S. in biology from Southeastern Louisiana University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in STEM Education from Southern University and A&M College. ‍Erin has worked in higher education retention and success at Louisiana State University, where she led efforts to improve student success in STEM fields, and at Kentucky State University, where she was charged with re-envisioning the student success infrastructure to dramatically improve declining retention and graduation rates. As Assistant Provost for Student Success and Retention at KSU, she led the implementation of a multifaceted strategic plan based on research, high-impact practices and embodied innovation, and supported the institution to increase retention rates from 45% to 78% within two years. ‍As a social entrepreneur, Erin has founded a business, Be Preppy, as well as a non-profit organization serving the Amite area, each of which supports low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color on the journey to college access and completion. ‍