Yuhouse Named GCAC Director

Alyssa Yuhouse joins the McBee Institute of Higher Education as the director of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) on January 16, 2024.

As a former GCAC adviser and training coordinator, Yuhouse will bring an impressive range of experiences into this role. After serving as an adviser with GCAC, Yuhouse was a higher education policy research fellow with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce before returning to the University of Georgia as a community partnerships graduate assistant in the Office of Service Learning.

Yuhouse also served as a regulatory specialist for the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission. Prior to joining the McBee Institute, she was an academic advisor, and led on several special projects for UGA's College of Engineering.

Yuhouse looks forward to her return to the McBee Institute. She said, "I had the opportunity to serve as a college adviser with the Georgia Corps after college, and the experience led me to realize that bolstering students where they are and helping to close the educational equity gap is where my passion lies. Rejoining this organization as the program director really brings things full circle, and I can’t wait to get started."

Yuhouse holds a bachelor of science degree in family and consumer sciences and a master’s degree of public administration from UGA. She is currently working on an additional M.S. in educational research at Georgia State University.

Dr. Libby V. Morris, the Zell Miller distinguished professor of higher education and executive director for GCAC, said, “Alyssa has just the right combination of education, professional skills, and experience as a former GCAC adviser to bring insightful leadership to our advising corps. We are delighted to welcome Alyssa back to the McBee Institute of Higher Education.”

Brook Thompson served as the GCAC director from 2020-2023, and during her tenure she expanded the corps and refined many of its processes and objectives. Brook accepted a position in the fall to serve the Athens Clarke County School System as a work-based learning coordinator. Morris noted, "We are grateful for Brook's ongoing commitment to our program and her willingness to consult during this period of transition. She is the consummate professional."

Morris also expressed appreciation to Glenda Dowdy, who serves as the program coordinator for advisers in the Atlanta Public Schools and leads GCAC adviser training. "Glenda’s valuable leadership across the corps during this transition allowed the program to continue uninterrupted,” said Morris.

GCAC partners with more than 20 high schools across Georgia to support students through the complex college application and financial aid processes. Since the program’s launch in 2009, more than 144 advisers have reached more than 34,000 students.

More information about the Georgia College Advising Corp may be viewed at https://ihe.uga.edu/georgia-college-advising-corps