Elizabeth Pursell, Ed.D.

Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Pursell currently serves as Director of the Academic Success Center at Northwestern State University. In this role, she manages student tutors, peer mentoring, and leads the faculty-led instructional assistance program, FLAME (Faculty-Led Assistance in My Education). She also acts as an academic advisor, mentoring and advising around 170 students across different degree programs, and teaches incoming freshmen in the College of Education. In 2025, she was named the team leader for the Louisiana Board of Regents' program for student success and engagement, called Meauxmentum. 

In 2023, Liz collaborated with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of STEM to develop FLAME. This initiative is a faculty-led supplemental instruction and mentoring program where instructors meet students outside of their designated office hours at campus locations that are comfortable for the students. They assist students with studying, offer mentorship, and help prepare them for exams and projects. Since it started, FLAME has served over 1,000 students and connected them with about 75 faculty mentors. As the Meauxmentum team leader, she was responsible for writing a grant proposal for a project aimed at promoting academic success and student engagement in the classroom. As of May 2025, this project was approved and is funded for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Liz earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics Instruction and her Master of Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University. In 2024, she completed a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Kansas State University. When she's not working, Liz enjoys spending time with her husband, Tony, and their two children, Tim and Jordan.