Dr. Cathy Buyarski serves as Vice Provost for Advising and Student Success.  She earned a B.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, an M.S. in counseling and student development from Oklahoma State University, and a Ph.D. in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota.

Prior to serving in the Provost’s Office, Dr. Buyarski served GVSU as the Director of Advising for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  She has over 30 years of experience supporting student success including work in residence life, new student orientation, academic and career development, first-year programs, learning support, transfer and adult learners, and support for students from underserved, under-resourced, and underrepresented populations.  Dr. Buyarski serves as a technical expert and program advisor for Complete College American and The Gardner Institute.  With a deep commitment to educational equity, her approach to student success includes both supporting individual students as well as advocating for institutional change to build structures and systems that support degree completion.