Meet the Team

Brittany Allensworth

Director

Brittany is a first generation, Federal Pell Grant recipient, and alumna of Purdue University and Horizons Student Support Services. After graduating from Purdue University with a B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Supervision and a minor in Psychology, she went on to work in Corporate America as a Human Resources and Talent Acquisition professional for several years before making the decision to return to school. Brittany later graduated with an M.S. in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Indiana State University.

Brittany began her professional higher education career here at Purdue University and served as a College Success Advisor in University Undergraduate Academic Advising. In this role, she worked diligently on the MAAPS Study, an initiative of the University Innovation Alliance funded by a First in the World grant. Brittany used proactive and analytics-based advising to remove academic, personal, and financial barriers to the retention, persistence, and timely graduation of first generation and low-income students. Most recently, Brittany served in the role of Student Support Specialist in the Office of the Dean of Students where she provided support and interventions to students from diverse backgrounds, assessed unique needs, and issued referrals to appropriate campus and community resources.

As a Horizons alumna, Brittany wholeheartedly believes in the positive impact the program has on its students. Her interactions with Horizons staff as a student has fundamentally shaped the ways in which she shows up as a professional. In her role as Assistant Director for Academic Success, she aims to empower students to control their own narratives, celebrate the wins, grow through adversity, and never stop working to become the best versions of themselves.

Marquetta Strait

Assistant Director

Marquetta is an alumna of Purdue University with a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction specializing in Learning Design and Technology. Much of her professional experiences involved supporting faculty and staff in providing quality learning experiences for K-12 and college students, which includes promoting inclusive excellence. Marquetta recently served four years as a graduate assistant with the Academic Success Center (ASC), supporting students as a course instructor, academic consultant, accountability group developer, facilitator, and graduate coordinator for the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program.

Her prior experiences have also included serving as a project lead and an instructional designer for a $1.5 million grant-funded project to equip K¬-12 in-service educators with blended and online learning preparation in response to the emergency remote learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, initiating and developing the College of Education's Graduate Peer Mentoring Program, and serving as the Co-Director for Purdue's Admissions Call Center.

Continuing to contribute to the growing campus community on diversity, equity, and inclusion matters is essential to her practice. This form of advocacy has extended to supporting the recruitment and retention efforts of underrepresented minority students at Purdue. Additionally, in response to increased racial and social injustice, Marquetta assembled a team of scholars to design and develop a self-paced, online learning micro-credential that supported graduate teaching assistants' development of their intercultural competence skills. This module incorporated multiple reflective opportunities and Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to promote justice-oriented instructional identities.

Similarly, Marquetta's role as the Assistant Director for Horizons Student Support Services addresses the advocacy needed for first-generation and income-eligible college students. Within her role, she focuses on the program's academic components, including but not limited to additional academic advisement, facilitating the Faculty Mentorship Program, and serving as a course instructor for Horizons' GS-19900-Strategies for a Successful First Year, and continues to advocate for our students. Marquetta is eager to make a genuine difference locally and globally to promote academic success through her educational and professional experiences.

Jessica Weller

STEM Program Coordinator

Jessica has a doctorate of philosophy with an emphasis in Chemistry Education from Purdue University. She was a continuing lecturer at Purdue for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Jessica also served as a Coaching Coordinator for STEM Goes Rural where she mentored first year STEM teachers as part of the Woodrow Wilson STEM Goes Rural Program at Purdue. She is passionate about providing guidance and support to the students in Horizons.

Outside of work, Jessica really enjoys reading historical fiction, gardening books and mystery stories. She likes to watch PBS Mysteries on Netflix, stand-up comedy and The Great British Baking Show.

Chélei Doud-Brooks

Program Coordinator

Chélei (Shay-lee) is a Texas native who earned her B.S. in Psychology and M.Ed. in Educational Administration from Tarleton State University. As an undergraduate student Chélei was a first-generation, Federal Pell Grant recipient, and Honors College student. She served in various roles within the social work and public education sectors prior to entering higher education.

As Chélei entered her master’s degree she discovered a passion for student affairs and decided to pursue higher education. She became a Graduate Assistant in the Lozano-Long Division of Global, Community, and First-Gen Initiatives. In this role, Chélei planned, promoted, and executed student-focused programs. These programs enriched students’ educational experience outside of the classroom and enhanced their civic engagement. As a Horizons Program Coordinator, Chélei aims to utilize her various experiences to leave a lasting impact on students by helping them navigate their journeys and preparing them to be the best they can be in their future pursuits.

Samantha Gunther

Senior Administrative Assistant

Samantha is a native of the Greater Lafayette Area and spent many summers attending camps and activities at Purdue. With her experience as a first-generation college student and Federal Pell Grant recipient, she understands the challenges faced by students in similar positions.

Her professional career includes various office management and training roles, honing her skills in problem-solving and leadership. Samantha is committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment to help students thrive in their academic and personal endeavors.

Aniya Martin

Student Intern

Aniya Martin is currently a junior studying Web Programming & Design at Purdue. Alongside her position at Horizons, she is also a Peer Success Coach for the Academic Success Center, where she help students achieve their academic and personal goals. Aniya is also the marketing chair for UR Multicultural Connections and a student ambassador for Executive in Residence.

Aniya's journey with Horizons started during freshman year when she took the Horizons intro course. Her experience led her to want to become a peer mentor. After participating in Horizon’s accountability groups during her sophomore year, she wanted to continue to stay involved with Horizons and chose to apply for a Horizons internship.

In her role as intern, she will work with staff to improve engagement of Horizons student participants and provide support in the management of the program’s website and social media platforms.