Request Michael Pierick as a speaker
Michael prides his work in solving systematic problems through innovative academic programming aimed at increasing access and reducing barriers. He is driven by constructive dissatisfaction as a foundation and principle of continuously improving upon current designs, models, performance, and abilities. As the Director of Strategic Initiatives at UC Merced Extension, he is responsible for the design, implementation, and execution of rigorous college and career readiness programs for lifelong learners, including teacher credentialing, pre-college dual enrollment pathways, micro-credentialing, and industry-aligned certificates.
Michael is also the Director of the UC Merced Degree Completion Program where he has led the development and implementation of the University of California’s first general degree completion efforts to re-enrolling and graduating students who left a UC campus without completing their degree. Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Management from UC Merced and Master of Arts in Educational Entrepreneurship from the University of the Pacific Benerd College of Education.
Michael brings nearly a decade of program design, development, and implementation across multiple sectors and program types with foundational experience in Enrollment Management.
List of Topics:
Designing degree completion programming
Creative early college pathways for high school student matriculation
Strategic recruitment and outreach initiatives for stop-outs
Reentry data analysis and policy review
College and career readiness pathways
Enrollment coaching for reentry students
One-stop modeling for reentry students
Certification and credentialing design and implementation
Industry-university collaboration (education and training)
Shifting culture to persistence and retention
Understanding and defining stop-out students