first year experience staff

Dr. Susan Craig, Director

Dr. Susan Craig has been a member of the MSSU campus community for twenty years. She began as a student, graduating with a degree in Secondary English Education. Dr. Craig has worked for MSSU for fifteen years. She served as a counselor for five years and then was the Director of the Upward Bound and Project Stay programs before becoming the Director of the First Year Experience Program. Dr. Craig has spent her entire career working with students in transition and she is a firm believer in the opportunities that education can provide. She earned a Masters in Counseling from Missouri State University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Dr. Craig is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and an Assistant Professior in the Teacher Education department.

Christina Vann, Administrative Assistant

Christina Vann is a lifelong resident of Joplin. She worked in medical billing for nine years and staffing for three years before joining MSSU. She has been married to Kyle Vann, also an employee at MSSU, for eight years and they have a two-year old son named Jordan.