Kalamazoo Promise Services

Kalamazoo Promise Services offers student support to Kalamazoo Promise eligible students. Through a series of appointments, students are assisted in successfully completing their academic goals at Kalamazoo Valley. Students can schedule recurring appointments to stay updated on their academic progress which can help ensure successful goal completion.

To initiate the use of the Kalamazoo Promise at Kalamazoo Valley, you must schedule an appointment with our Kalamazoo Promise Services staff to turn in your Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship Acceptance Form. They can be reached at .

To learn more about the Kalamazoo Promise, visit www.kalamazoopromise.com.

Services Provided

The Promise Services team at Valley is a small and mighty group dedicated to helping Promise Scholars here make the most of their scholarship and their college experiences. It is a one stop shop for any questions or needs that students may have as they work to realize their visions for higher education. Beth Brandon, the Assistant Director of Promise Services, spearheads the efforts of three Promise Academic and Career Pathway Advisors - Angel Bañuelos, Lindsey Hart and Narda McClendon. As an arm of Student Development Services at Kalamazoo Valley, Beth and the Promise Advisors support Promise Scholars by:

• Offering one-on-one academic advising,
• Explaining the fine details of their Promise scholarships,
• Demonstrating effective ways to navigate Advising and Counseling, Student Financial Services, Registration, the Learning Center, the Testing Center, computer labs etc.,
• Advocating for and developing strategies with students to address challenges and barriers in and outside classes,
• Organizing action and success plans to set the stage for smooth transitions from high school to college, one semester to the next and transferring to four-year colleges and universities and
• Standing by students as they ask questions and work through the steps required to meet their goals.

Remember, each advisor is specifically knowledgeable about their paths of study, but they also strive to be broadly knowledgeable about the college in general and the world of resources and careers outside of it. If you haven't done so yet, book an appointment and introduce yourself to an advisor today!

Meet Our Team!

Beth Brandon
Title: Assistant Director of Kalamazoo Promise Services

Bio: Beth Brandon serves as the Assistant Director of Kalamazoo Promise Services with a strong passion for student success and retention. She has a bachelor's degree in Anthropology and a master's degree in Educational Leadership with a focus in higher education and student affairs. Both degrees were received from Western Michigan University, which is also where she got her start in higher education as a student leader for their orientations. Outside of work, Beth loves being outdoors and often goes birding, hiking, fishing, and rock and fossil hunting. She also enjoys playing and writing music as a way to express her creativity.

Promise Academic and Career Pathway Advisors

Narda McClendon

Bio: Narda was raised in Kalamazoo and graduated from Loy Norrix High School and Western Michigan University where she majored in American Studies with concentrations in African Studies and Sociology. As a non-traditional student for many years at WMU, Narda completely understands the tough positions of working students who are raising children while pursuing their dreams to earn their degrees. She is always ready to strategize, problem-solve and share resources to get Promise and Valley students closer to their goals for the semester and graduation. Narda looks forward to sharing information about Valley programs and services as well as careers to support students as they travel their educational pathways. She is the proud grandmother of five-year-old Kwabena Diaminah (even though she struggles to keep up with him). She gets a little over the top when it comes to recycling. In her down time, Narda enjoys reading fiction, IMAX movies, crocheting and learning to quilt.

Angel Bañuelos

Bio: Angel Bañuelos is the promise advisor for Health Careers, Science Transfers, Public Service, and undecided students. He graduated from Kalamazoo College with a major in biology and a minor in anthropology and sociology. Afterwards, he earned a masters in genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. All throughout his time in school, he also served as a teacher or tutor and enjoys being of service to the Earth and to our community. He encourages students to reach out for any reason at all. He's happy to provide support when things are challenging and also celebrate when students achieve their goals.

Lindsey Hart

Bio: Lindsey Hart grew up in Mattawan, Michigan and studied at Michigan State University, graduating in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in International Relations and a minor in Muslim Studies. After graduating, Lindsey worked at a daycare before moving to Minnesota to serve as an AmeriCorps member, supporting educational success for low-income and first-generation students at St. Paul Public High School. While she enjoyed her time in Minnesota, she missed home (and Meijer) a bit too much and decided to move back to Michigan. Lindsey wanted to continue doing the type of work she was doing in Minnesota, leading her to become an Academic and Career Pathway Advisor on our Promise Services team at Kalamazoo Valley. Outside of work, Lindsey enjoys reading and collecting books and hopes to collect enough books to one day have her own personal library. She loves spending time with her family, whether it's playing dominos or MarioKart. Lindsey also enjoys watching live theater, watching bad reality TV, and catching up on her favorite TV shows.