Jami Grosser
MEDIA, Pa. — Jami Grosser joined Penn State Brandywine as the new academic adviser in December. Coming from Sonoma State University in California as a professional academic adviser, Grosser is looking forward to getting to know Brandywine students and providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed.
Brandywine: What is your background and previous experience?
Grosser: This is my 25th year working in higher education. I majored in pre-optometry in college and decided that I didn’t want to go to optometry school, so I got a job as an admissions counselor at my alma mater, Kansas State University. I recruited students and attended college fairs, and that led me to find my passion for working in higher education. That position led me to jobs in LGBTQ+ and cultural resource centers at other universities.
Brandywine: What was your deciding factor in coming to work for Penn State Brandywine, especially coming from California?
Grosser: My wife is originally from central Pennsylvania. We relocated to the Media area last summer when she got a job working at the University of Pennsylvania. I continued working remotely at Sonoma State until they wanted me to come back to campus, which was not feasible, so I began to look for work out here. With Penn State Brandywine being so close, it was an easy decision to take a job here.
I’ve spent all my professional career at public universities. Two of my previous institutions, Sonoma State and Cal Poly Pomona, are a part of the California State University system, which focuses on serving the region. Penn State Brandywine has a similar approach, which is what made me interested in working here.
Brandywine: What are you looking forward to most during your time at Brandywine?
Grosser: I’m looking forward to getting to know the students here and helping them succeed. I’m a big advocate for student success, but that always is dependent on students’ identities and experiences, and I want to see how my knowledge in a completely different state and university can be useful here.
I also really enjoyed my interview. I felt like there were a lot of faculty and staff who were really committed to helping students succeed. There was immediately a feeling of community when I came here. It really drew me to the campus.
Brandywine: What are some goals you’d like to accomplish during your time at Brandywine?
Grosser: In the short term, my goal is to rebuild Brandywine’s advising office after the departure of three experienced advisers. Dennis Dozier, our administrative assistant, has been doing a great job managing the office with support from advisers from other University units. So, that’s my first goal. Long-term, I’m looking forward to understanding what the University’s priorities are and implementing them in ways that will best serve our students.
Brandywine: What are some of your interests? What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Grosser: I have four-and-a-half-year-old twins, so a lot of my time is spent parenting them. We find ourselves at the park most days, but now that it’s cold outside, we spend a lot of time at indoor trampoline parks to get our energy out.
Brandywine: Is there anything else you would like to add? Anything you would like people to know about you?
Grosser: I take a holistic and equitable approach to student success. I think working in California for as long as I did with the level of diversity that’s present made me realize that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work with student success. I want people to know that my approach is always holistic and I’m always looking at things in a more equitable and efficient lens.
