Sean Newmiller, Chair of the English, Communication, and World Languages Department, has been named one of six inaugural First-Year Success Fellows by Strong Start to Finish, a national network dedicated to ensuring students complete gateway math and English in their first year of college and an initiative of the Education Commission of the States.
Newmiller was selected for his accomplishments in advancing evidence-based reforms that improve student outcomes. At Lake Michigan College, he led his department in fully scaling a co-requisite English model and implementing guided self-placement — an approach that eliminates reliance on high-stakes standardized testing and traditional remedial coursework, ensuring students have immediate access to credit-bearing courses.
"Sean exemplifies the kind of thoughtful, evidence-driven leadership that transforms student outcomes," said Dr. LaToya Mason, Dean, Health Sciences Education and Interim Provost at Lake Michigan College. "He and the other fellows are helping states and colleges redesign the critical first year of college around what evidence clearly shows students need to succeed: defined pathways, meaningful support, and immediate access to credit-bearing coursework."
Newmiller’s influence extends well beyond the Lake Michigan College campus. He has served as a subject matter expert on statewide developmental education reforms, collaborating with legislatures, community college associations, tribal colleges, and university systems across Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and Oregon. His work addresses a critical challenge facing higher education: each year, more than one million students are placed into costly noncredit developmental coursework that most never complete, with fewer than 1 in 10 finishing a gateway math or English course through traditional remediation.
Over the coming year, Newmiller and his fellow First-Year Success Fellows will brief policymakers and state leaders on effective reform strategies, engage faculty and practitioners to guide implementation, and contribute to an ambitious public awareness campaign championing proven developmental education reforms.
"We are incredibly proud of Sean’s selection as a First-Year Success Fellow," said Kris Zook, Dean, Arts & Sciences Education at Lake Michigan College. "His dedication to removing barriers for students and ensuring every learner has an equitable path to success is a reflection of our college’s deepest values. This recognition is well deserved."
The First-Year Success Fellows program is part of Strong Start to Finish’s North Star goal: ensuring that by 2040, every state will put every student on track to graduate after their first year of college.
