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Meet the Staff of OSD

Contact l Meet the Staff l Office of Student Development

Jennifer Biederman - Administrative Assistant for OSD

Jenn Biederman has been an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Student Development since 2002. Her responsibilities vary on a day-to-day basis and include some of the following: assist students, answer incoming calls, photograph & issue University IDs and assist in the production and distribution of publications. Jenn is currently taking classes to gain a degree in Graphic Design. Prior to working at UIU, she worked as a dental assistant for eight years. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jon, and two girls, Haley (11) & Emma (5). Jenn also is an avid scrapbooker, cardmaker & has had several cards published. 

Daryl Grove - Assistant Dean of Student Development and Director of Leadership and Adventure

Daryl Grove is our Assistant Dean of Student Development and Director of Leadership and Adventure at Upper Iowa University as well as Dr. Fun. He loves traveling, kayaking, being outdoors, RAGBRAI and spending time with friends and family. Daryl lives in Fayette with his wife Marta and three little peacocks in training. Responsible for leadership, health services, outdoor pursuits, Peacocks for Progress, swimming pool, and orientation Grove strives to empower students and provide useful, helpful and fun opportunities to the campus community.

Meg Hammes - Assistant Dean of Student Development/Director of Counseling Services

Meg Hammes, LMSW, is new to the Assistant Dean of Student Development/Director of Counseling Services position at Upper Iowa University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Northern Iowa and a Masters in Social Work from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. Meg has worked within the clinical social work field for more than 20 years. During that time, she has worked in a variety of settings with children and adults, including foster care, domestic violence, trauma and abuse. For the past 10 years, Meg has been working within school districts throughout Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Iowa providing school-based social work and mental health services.   Meg has a strong commitment to providing empowerment-based counseling services and promoting positive mental health programming throughout campus. While at home, Meg enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her husband and two children.

Cody Jones - Assistant Director of Residence Life & Civic Engagement

Cody Jones is the new Assistant Director of Residence Life & Civic Engagement at Upper Iowa University. Cody is an Upper Iowa alum, completing his bachelors in management and marketing in 2009. While at UIU Cody was active in several co-curricular actives such as The Collegian, Outdoor Pursuits, Peacocks for Progress, Peacock Entertainment Crew and other areas within the Office of Student Development. Cody received his Masters of Business Administration from St. Cloud State University, where he worked as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Civic Engagement. Cody has a passion for promoting volunteerism on campus and in our community. You will find him all over campus and around our community building relationships and identifying potential partnerships that could benefit those he serves – UIU students. In his free time Cody enjoys cooking, target shooting, hunting, kayaking, reading and even spending time in the garden growing hot peppers for his homemade chili. If you want to get involved but don't know how; find Cody, he can help you make the most out of your college experience.  

Melissa Kipp - Graduate Assistant for Leadership and Wellness

Melissa Kipp is the Graduate Assistant for Leadership and Wellness. She graduated from Upper Iowa University with a Bachelors in Human Services and Business Administration. Melissa works to develop leadership and wellness programming. She also serves as co-advisor of Wellness Council.

Ronnie Kurihara - Intramurals and Adventure Graduate Assistant

Ronnie hails from Alhambra, CA and loves baseball, the LA Lakers, NY Yankees, NO Saint, as well as being active.  Ronnie is a Peacock with his bachelor's in fitness/wellness from UIU and has a wealth of athletic and recreation management experience.  Ronnie is pursuing his Masters of Public Administration here at UIU, while leading the intramural program, outdoor pursuits checkout, pool, and adding to the adventure based operations of student programming. 

Jean Merkle - Associate Dean of Students

Jean Merkle is the Associate Dean of Students for Upper Iowa University. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Communication from the University of Minnesota, Morris and Master's Degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jean arrived at Upper Iowa University in 2003 and has been in the field of Higher Education since 1994. She has served in multiple capacities of Student Development throughout her 16 year career; Residence Life, First Year Experience, Career Services, Security, and Student Activities. Jean's current responsibilities include being the Director of Residence Life and Security. Jean is married to Jeff Merkle and has 3 children and resides in Fayette. 

Michael Poradek - Graduate Assistant for Student Activities

Michael Poradek currently serves as the Graduate Assistant for Student Activities at UIU. He is Co-Advisor of the Peacock Entertainment Crew (PEC) and works with coordinating and developing student activities and assisting UIU clubs and organizations on the Fayette campus. Michael is originally from Oconto Falls, WI, approximately 30 miles north of Green Bay, WI. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, where he was involved in numerous student organizations and committees. In his free time, Michael enjoys traveling, being outdoors, music/musicals, cooking, volunteering with his church, and spending time with family and friends. He is currently pursuing a Master's in Higher Education Administration.

Louise Scott - Dean of Student Development

Louise Stivers-Scott, Dean of student Development, has been in higher education for over 29 years. She has served UIU for 25 of those years as an Associate Dean of Students and Director of Career Development before becoming the Dean. Dean Scott earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky and her Masters in Higher Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dean Scott believes that learning happens just as much outside the classroom as inside. Dean Scott believes that it is important that students gain skills that they can use throughout their lifetime and supports her student development colleagues to achieve this end. Her door is open, so come and visit.

Kari Solheim - Administrative Assistant for OSD

Kari Solheim has been the Administrative Assistant for the Office of Student Development since 1991. She received her Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from Upper Iowa University in  2011. Some of her responsibilities include managing the Office of Student Development, assisting students with a wide variety of inquiries, scheduling appointments with OSD staff and the local clinic, creating publications, maintaining the UIU Alert system and the Fayette campus access ID system. Kari enjoys improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the office, keeping up with her three sons, and creating through graphic design, photography, scrapbooking and other media.

Courtney Thompson - Assistant Director of Residence Life and Coordinator for Educational Initiatives

Courtney O. Thompson is the Assistant Director of Residence Life & Educational Initiatives at Upper Iowa University. He received his undergraduate degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Counseling from Northern Caribbean University and his master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and is currently enrolled in the Masters of Higher Education Administration (MHEA) degree here at Upper Iowa University. Prior to his arriving at Upper Iowa University, he served in several leadership positions at other schools, to include serving as Vice President of Academic Affairs for the Student Government and Resident Assistant/Advisor in the Office of Residence Life at Northern Caribbean University, Graduate Assistant for the Office of Residence Life and Head Resident Counselor for Upward Bound at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

TJ Warren - Director of Student Activities

TJ Warren is the Director of Student Activities and is “Dr. Fun’s” apprentice. TJ is originally from Eldora, IA and he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Northern Iowa. In his free time, TJ enjoys running, playing video games, watching movies, listening to music (especially soundtrack music, because it makes everything you do seem incredibly epic), reading, blogging, spending time with friends and family (particularly with his wife Brittany), and seeking daily inspiration in his surroundings. He is also a huge Superman fan (just visit his office and see for yourself)! The reason he enjoys Superman so much is because he humbly seeks to do good in the world using all of his amazing strengths and talents. TJ believes every individual possesses their own set of talents that can help make the world a better place. Therefore, TJ aims to help others realize and develop their own strengths through advising the Peacock Entertainment Crew (PEC) and Student Government Association (SGA), overseeing Greek Life on campus, providing campus activities to the Fayette campus, and assisting with orientation and leadership programming. TJ is very excited to be a first-year Peacock and is looking forward to participating in all the fun and exciting activities that are planned for the upcoming school year.

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