Dr. Susan Aldridge has joined the Henderson State University TRiO team as the interim Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement program director.
“Dr. Aldridge brings a wealth of knowledge to the Henderson campus with 33 years of experience on the university and community college levels,” said Kathy Muse, director of Henderson’s TRiO program.
Aldridge holds a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and earned a Master of Science degree in secondary and higher education from Texas A&M University-Texarkana. She studied at Henderson prior to receiving a B.S. in journalism from Arkansas State University.
Aldridge is the founding director of the Hot Springs Village Life Long Learning Program at Henderson’s Hot Springs campus. In addition, she is a university clinical supervisor for Teachers College, Henderson.
The McNair Scholars Program is a federal TRiO program funded at 151 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico by the U.S. Department of Education. It is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.
Henderson’s 25 McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential. The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase graduate degree awards for students from underrepresented segments of society.
Aldridge has held leadership positions in numerous professional and civic organizations. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Hot Springs National Park, 6170 Past District Governor and a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. She serves on the Board of Directors of Abilities Unlimited of Hot Springs and the Arkansas Hospice Hot Springs Advisory Council.