About

Biography

As a Student Success and Learning Adviser at the University of the Sunshine Coast, I occupy a dual-role supporting both academic skill development and socio-emotional learning to address learning barriers and build student self-efficacy. My work encompasses individual appointments alongside the development and delivery of multimodal workshops, resources, and targeted interventions that enhance outcomes for diverse student populations. This approach draws on nearly 20 years of university teaching and advising experience, supported by my PhD in Linguistics (University of California, 2013) and international experience as learner and educator across France, Mexico, the USA, and Australia. My career trajectory includes roles as Associate Instructor in Communication, Linguistics and Anthropology, English as an Additional Language (EAL) educator, and acting Team Leader for Student Success, where I developed expertise in both direct service delivery and program leadership. This cross-cultural and interdisciplinary foundation enables me to understand the interplay between linguistic competence, cultural adaptation, and academic success, informing my holistic approach to student advising for diverse university populations.

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Awards and Honours

Creativity Award, Student Services, 2024
University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia, Sunshine Coast) - UniSC, November 2024
Advance HE Fellowship (FHEA)
University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia, Sunshine Coast) - UniSC, 23/01/2026

Organisational Affiliations

Student Success Adviser, Student Services and Engagement

Highlights - Outputs

Conference paper

by Sara HutchinsonChristy Macnish and Hayley Ryan

Published 2023

STARS Conference Proceedings, 1 - 2

Students, Transitions, Achievement, Retention & Success (STARS) Conference, 03-Jul-2023–05-Jul-2023, Brisbane, Australia

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Linguistics
University of California, Davis (United States, Davis) - UCD
Master's Degree, Linguistics
University of California, Davis (United States, Davis) - UCD
Bachelor's degree (honors), Linguistics
University of California, Berkeley (United States, Berkeley) - UCB