Teresa Tripp (above, left) and Sean Hartnett (above, right) have 25 years of combined student service experience
Teresa Tripp worked in the DMACC Newton Campus bookstore when the Newton Campus first opened and has since worked in several different roles at DMACC over the years.
Sean Hartnett was doing cancer research when he decided to make a career change and enter into higher education.
"(Teresa and Sean) bring a wealth of knowledge and skills with them," said Dr. Joe DeHart, DMACC Newton Campus Provost.
Two members of the DMACC Student Services Team are joining the DMACC Newton Campus after building many years of experience across the College.
Teresa Tripp, who has worked at DMACC for 21 years, returns to the DMACC Newton Campus as a Student Services Specialist, a role she most recently served in at the DMACC West Campus in West Des Moines. She previously worked as an Academic Advisor at the Newton Campus, as well as a DMACC Bookstore clerk earlier in her career.
“I started my career with DMACC in the Newton Campus bookstore as one of the original crew in 1993. This campus has always held a special place in my heart," Tripp said. "I'll be retiring in the next few years and the thought of closing my career where it started is just so sweet as a full-circle moment. I'm excited to return to Newton."
Sean Hartnett, another longtime DMACC Student Services team member, will now serve as an Academic Advisor at the College's Newton Campus. He comes to Newton from the DMACC Ankeny Campus, where he worked as an Enrollment Advisor.
“Teresa and Sean both bring a wealth of knowledge and skills with them," said Dr. Joe DeHart, DMACC Newton Campus. “Not only will they learn about Newton and all that we offer, but we will learn from their experience as well. We're fortunate to welcome such great talent to our team at the DMACC Newton Campus."
Hartnett took a circuitous route to the higher education profession. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with a Chemistry minor from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in 2008 and a Master of Science in Biology from UNI in 2020.
“I started my professional career doing cancer research in Kansas City," Hartnett said. "Although I loved being able to make a difference and problem solve when an experiment didn't go as planned, I soon realized that I wanted greater interaction with others. I found myself over the next couple of years exploring various fields trying to figure out the best fit. I was looking for something where I could work collaboratively with a team and still make an impact."
He said he was fortunate to accept a position at UNI in the admissions department. He worked there for two years and then became a Student Success Advisor with the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) and later worked as an Undergraduate Recruiting Specialist at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. For the past four years, Hartnett has been working with prospective DMACC students as an Enrollment Advisor on the DMACC Ankeny Campus.
“I was quickly convinced that higher education was not just a job but a career and after 10 years I still love it," Hartnett said.
At Newton, Hartnett will work with current students to help them complete their degrees and serve as a support contact for students.
Both Tripp and Hartnett will be working with students as DMACC makes some changes in its course pathways. According to Tripp, the new Guided Pathways will create more clearly structured coherent program pathways that lead to students' end goals, whether that be to transfer to a four-year institution or start their career after graduating from DMACC
“Guided Pathways is a great way to begin. It will help a student's interests and then align those interests with coursework to meet their academic and career goals," Tripp said.
Hartnett said the new Guided Pathways will benefit undecided students educationally and socially.
"Let's say a student is interested in business but they don't know what specific area of business to pursue. By having the student enter the business pathway it will help that person identify areas of interest and help gain their confidence," Hartnett said. “Also, the pathway will allow students who are interested in that field to interact with other students and build social connections."
“It sometimes takes students a lot of work to figure out their passion and career, but once they get it, that is where the magic begins," Hartnett said. “In my previous position I interacted with students a lot on the front end of the process but as they progressed in their programs, they would work more directly with a program advisor. I am really looking forward to seeing a student's journey from start to finish in my new position at the Newton Campus."
Hartnett and his wife, Ashley, have a seven-year-old son, Rylan, and a three-year-old daughter, Adalyn, as well as a dog named Toby. Hartnett said he enjoys working out, connecting with family and friends, gardening and yard work and watching movies. He said he recently started a new hobby, doing local pizza reviews!
Tripp also enjoys spending time with the family, especially her grandson, Dylan, as well as spending time in her gardens, listening to audio books and podcasts and enjoying live music. And she said she's recently picked up outdoor roller skating and loves it.
For more information, contact: Dr. Joe DeHart, (641) 791-1721