Missouri S&T has appointed five new leaders to the Student Success division to support its goal of nurturing student achievement and academic excellence. Joining the S&T community are Leticia Steffen, assistant vice chancellor of academic achievement and enrichment, Josh Gruenke, director of student involvement, Kristin Salas, senior director of academic advising, Cris Sheffel retention specialist, and Alexandra Gast, communications and promotions manager. Please give these new faces a Miner welcome when you see them.

Leticia Steffen, assistant vice chancellor of academic achievement and enrichment

Steffen joins Missouri S&T after 20 years at Colorado State University Pueblo, a Hispanic-serving institution that is part of the Colorado State University system. She most recently served as dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at CSU Pueblo.

Originally from New Hampton, Iowa, Steffen earned bachelor’s degrees in history and communications from Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Denver. Before her career in higher education, she was a journalist and writer in St. Louis and Denver.

In her free time, she enjoys baking, reading, playing the piano and taking road trips with her husband, Jim Ivery, and their daughter, Isabel. They particularly enjoy visiting unique roadside attractions.

Josh Gruenke, director of student involvement

Gruenke is a student engagement professional with over two decades of experience on college campuses. An advocate for student leadership, he has developed and led training programs, authored key policy documents and advised student organizations across many campuses. Gruenke has extensive experience managing multifunctional teams, designing student-focused initiatives and collaborating with campus partners.

Most recently, he served as director of student engagement at Ohio University, where he conceived and implemented a tool to create a personalized involvement plan for each incoming student. He also oversaw various assessment projects focused on measuring students’ sense of belonging on campus.

Gruenke has been a leader in student affairs at the national and regional levels through his involvement in the National Association for Campus Activities. He has served as regional chair for the Mid-America Conference and other positions on the National Conference Committee.

Kristin Salas, senior director of academic advising

Salas joined Missouri S&T as senior director of academic advising. With nearly 20 years of higher education experience in advising and registrar functions, she is eager to leverage her experience and knowledge to support students in this new role.

Salas holds a bachelor’s degree in social science with a minor in biology from the University of Maryland Global Campus and a master’s degree in organizational performance from Bellevue University.

Most recently, she served as assistant director of student success at the University of Central Missouri. Alongside the director and assistant directors, she helped build a centralized advising model, which focuses on holistic advising by fostering strong relationships between advisors and students.

In her free time, Salas enjoys spending time with her family and pets. She has two children actively involved in FIRST Robotics and has volunteered in various roles. As a military family for 13 years, they developed a love of travel while stationed in Japan. When they are not traveling for competitions, they often opt for Disney magic in the parks or on a cruise.

Cris Sheffel, retention specialist

Sheffel is a lifelong STEM enthusiast who began her career in chemical engineering before transitioning to secondary math and science education. Originally from Bourbon, Missouri, she has been part of the University of Missouri System and the Missouri S&T community since joining the South Central Regional Professional Development Center in 2012 as an education consultant.

A leader in STEM education, Steffel specializes in professional development for K-12 teachers, policy advocacy, undergraduate and graduate teaching, and academic research and publication. Her research interests include instructional leadership, fostering productive mindsets in STEM education and understanding how people make sense of new academic experiences.

Sheffel says she is eager to apply her dedication to student success in her new role as student retention specialist. She takes a holistic approach to supporting and defining success and looks forward to working directly with S&T students, championing their dreams and helping them navigate their journey as Miners.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her large extended family. An adventurous foodie, she loves visiting new places to discover the best local food, coffee, traditions and unique hangouts.

Alexandra Gast, communications and promotions manager

Gast, a native of southwest Missouri, brings a passion for community building through communications and marketing. Growing up on a diversified livestock operation, she developed an appreciation for storytelling and highlighting the agriculture industry. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is completing graduate studies in marketing and communications.

Before joining Missouri S&T, Gast served as a communications and outreach specialist for Missouri Farmers Care. She led marketing campaigns and developed educational resources for initiatives like Missouri Hogs for Hunger and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Race to the Plate.

Her background may be rooted in agriculture, but she says she’s eager to apply her experience to support student achievement, advance organizational goals, and foster engagement among faculty, staff and students.

Outside of work, Gast likes to golf, read and bake.