Owensboro Community and Technical College

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OCTC's REBECCA WHEELER NAMED STUDENT SUCCESS DEAN

by Bernie Hale

Owensboro, KY (10/21/2025) — Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) is proud to announce the appointment of Rebecca Wheeler, M.A., as the new Dean of Student Success. In this expanded leadership role, Wheeler will lead the College's work with retention, first-year experience, and student engagement, further strengthening OCTC's commitment to holistic student support and success.

Wheeler brings over 15 years of experience in higher education, all of which have been dedicated to serving students at OCTC. Her career has been marked by a deep commitment to student engagement, cross-campus collaboration, and innovative support strategies. Most recently, she served as Director of Financial Aid, where she led a high-performing team and managed a $14.5 million financial aid budget, ensuring compliance and access for thousands of students.

Among her many accomplishments, Wheeler launched and directed the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Mentorship Program, which pairs at-risk students with faculty and staff mentors to improve persistence and retention. She has also led initiatives to streamline enrollment processes, integrate financial aid policies into advising practices, and enhance student communication through platforms like Signal Vine and PeopleSoft.

"Rebecca's leadership has consistently demonstrated a student-centered approach, and her ability to build strong partnerships across departments makes her an ideal fit for this role," said Dr. Scott Williams, President of OCTC. "Her vision and experience will be instrumental in advancing our student success efforts."

Rebecca Wheeler shared her excitement about the new role: "I'm honored to serve as Dean of Student Success and to continue working alongside our incredible faculty and staff to support students in every aspect of their journey. Whether it's through counseling, career development, or financial support, our goal is to empower students to achieve their academic and personal goals."

Dr. Ashleigh Crowe, Vice President of Student Affairs, emphasized the significance of the position: "The Dean of Student Success plays a vital role in shaping the student experience at OCTC. Rebecca's deep understanding of our students' needs and her proven ability to lead with compassion and strategy make her the perfect choice to guide these essential support services. Her leadership will help ensure that every student has the resources and encouragement they need to thrive."

Wheeler holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville and is currently completing her Ed.D. in Adult & Higher Education Leadership at Morehead State University. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including NASFAA, KASFAA, and SASFAA, and has served on numerous campus and system-wide committees focused on strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and student support.

Rebecca Wheeler can be reached at rebecca.wheeler@kctcs.edu.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact bernie.hale@kctcs.edu.

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Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.

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The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.

Connect with OCTC: Owensboro.kctcs | Facebook.com/owensboroctc | Twitter@OCTC_Tweets | Instagram OwensboroCTC

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