There’s a new administrative duo at Logan’s Alumni & Friends House. Cynthia Sutton, Logan’s director of alumni relations and Amber Henry, EdD, Logan’s director of continuing education came to the university in fall 2022 from Missouri Baptist University in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Both bring decades of experience in higher education and a collaborative partnership they will use to engage and inform Logan alumni.
Cynthia Sutton
Cynthia is a familiar face for many faculty, staff and alumni because she began her career in higher education at Logan 20 years ago.
“It truly feels like I’ve come home,” Cynthia said. “I’m really excited to reconnect with Logan’s alumni, see how their lives are going and catch up on the last two decades.”
Cynthia was first hired as Logan’s undergraduate admissions counselor. Then she became the Flexible Accelerated Science Track (FAST) program—formerly known as the Accelerated Science Program (ASP)—coordinator before advancing to the associate director of admissions and operations position. In these roles, Cynthia fostered relationships with hundreds of Logan students who are now alumni.
“Many of the students I advised those first few years were my age, so in some ways it feels like I grew up alongside them at Logan,” said Cynthia. “I guided those students through the rigors of earning a doctorate degree from such a highly esteemed academic institution, and I beamed with pride as I watched them walk across the stage at graduation.”
After 12 years at Logan, Cynthia felt it was time for a change. She transitioned to Missouri Baptist where she served as the director of online admissions before being promoted to executive director of undergraduate admissions, a role she held for nearly a decade.
“My time at Missouri Baptist allowed me to grow personally and professionally,” she said. “I was able to step outside of Logan to get a fuller sense of industry best practices and standards.”
Through various connections, Cynthia kept up with developments at Logan, and in 2022, she learned about the university’s new vision for the Office of Alumni Relations and Continuing Education Department. After looking into the open director of alumni relations position, she decided it would be a perfect fit.
“I’m lucky to have a deep foundational knowledge of Logan and our alumni base,” said Cynthia. “If there’s one position that could entice me away from enrollment, it would be working with alumni at Logan. I’m able to take my years of experience in building relationships with new students and implement my skills on the other side of the spectrum.”
Cynthia is currently tasked with leading Logan’s first standalone office dedicated to connecting and engaging alumni. In only a few months, she has already accomplished her first goal by launching an alumni webpage, which gives graduates an easy way to reach out and stay informed.
Looking to the future, Cynthia hopes to increase alumni engagement across the board, whether it is encouraging them to attend Logan’s Symposium, serve as a preceptor doctor for students or enroll in continuing education programs. She also strives to build Logan’s alumni network by developing regional hubs and facilitating events across the country.
“My sole focus it to build community and be a resource,” said Cynthia. “I want graduates to think of me as their ‘alumni concierge’ who is here to serve their needs and connect them.”
Click here to visit the new Office of Alumni Relations webpage.
Amber Henry
Since joining Logan in September, Amber has been busy reimagining the university’s Continuing Education Department, formerly known as the Postgraduate Department.
“With all the possibilities and opportunities out there, I’m excited to see how this program grows in the next five years,” Amber said. “I think it’s going to look completely different from what it has ever been before, and I’m thriving off the challenge to make it happen.”
Amber brings 25 years of experience in education to Logan. In her previous position at Missouri Baptist, she established and led regional learning locations across Missouri and Illinois that primarily catered to adult learners. As technology advanced over the years, her role evolved into creating Missouri Baptist’s online learning program.
“I am a huge advocate for online learning,” she said. “Providing options and teaching instructors the principles of educating adult learners are key. Adults come in with experience and knowledge, so our courses should focus on being more interactive than lectures.”
Motivated to try something new, Amber was drawn to the idea of working in health care. After looking into Logan and the director of continuing education role, Amber concluded the university’s vision aligned with her ideals and would provide a challenge that could reinvigorate her passion for higher education.
“Logan has a phenomenal entrepreneurial spirit,” Amber said. “The university is continually moving forward, analyzing the marketplace and allocating resources behind quality programs that are in demand. Everyone is open to ideas and innovations.”
Her goal is to expand the Continuing Education Department at Logan by incorporating learning opportunities for a variety of health care professionals, including athletic trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, registered dietitians and more. Amber also hopes to use her experience with online learning to develop more flexible continuing education options and ensure the courses deliver quality educational content and promote networking and alumni engagement.
“One of my key skills is collaboration,” Amber said. “For this to be successful, it will take an entire team. With established trust and partnership from our time at Missouri Baptist, Cynthia and I were able to dive in on day one. Collaboration was instant, creating a smooth and beneficial transition for the Logan community.”
Click here to visit the new Continuing Education page. Contact Amber (amber.henry@logan.edu) with ideas and feedback and sign up for her new advisory board.