Faculty and Facilitators
Dan Warner, Vice Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid
Dan Warner joined Lehigh as Vice Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid in April 2018. Prior to that, he spent eight years as Director of Admission at Rice University in Houston, TX, having previously served as Assistant Dean of Admission at Stanford, Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Vanderbilt and Associate Director of Admissions at his alma mater, Boston University. Dan also serves as an ambassador for the Overseas Schools Project, a joint venture between the U.S. Department of State and the College Board. He has presented on numerous topics at multiple regional and national conferences and has recruited extensively throughout South Asia, East Asia and Latin America.
Cheryl Matherly, Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs
Dr. Cheryl Matherly is the vice president and vice provost for international affairs at Lehigh University. She serves as the university’s senior international officer and is charged with providing strategic leadership for its numerous international education programs, including the university’s initiatives in India. Lehigh was recognized in 2021 with NAFSA’s Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization in recognition of its international education programs.
Dr. Matherly has written extensively on the relationship between employability and education abroad, including several book chapters that examined this topic in context of comparative national policies. She is recognized for her leadership on issues related to international internships and experiential learning.
Dr. Matherly was named Senior International Officer of the Year by the Institute of International Education in 2020. She is a member of the National Academy of International Education, and was named in 2023 by PIE Education as one of the “50 Influential Voices in North American International Education.”
She has an Ed.D. in education from the University of Houston, an M.S. in education from Indiana University and a B.A. in English literature and political science from the University of New Mexico. She is the recipient of two Fulbright grants for International Education Administrators, in Japan and Germany.
Dr. Willy Das, Research Scientist and Curriculum Innovation Manager, Lehigh@NasdaqCenter
Dr. Das, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management with a Ph.D. in Business Policy and Strategy, currently serves as the lead researcher and educator at Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, an exclusive industry-academic partnership between Lehigh University and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. Her role at Lehigh@NasdaqCenter is to bridge entrepreneurship theory and practice by working in close collaboration with scholars and practitioners, thereby making entrepreneurship research more impactful through real-world application. Her contributions are recognized not only in academic journals but also in mainstream media outlets such as FastCompany and Startup Magazine, UK. Beyond her research, she is also a dedicated mentor, regularly guiding minority entrepreneurs from around the globe, and she works with the congressional office to provide consultation on evidence informed policymaking.
Vinita Desai
Desai has a Bachelors in Science with double masters in Education & Management and a Ph.D. in Education. She is based in Mumbai and represents Lehigh University in India as the Senior Advisor Recruiting Strategy & Partnerships. Given her vast expertise in the field of education and recruitment, her role involves identifying key markets, analysing market trends, competitor landscapes to develop and implement strategic recruitment plans for Lehigh University in the region. She is also passionate assisting individuals in finding the right educational and career opportunities that align with their interests and aspirations and strongly believes in fostering long-term relationships that drive strategic growth and opportunities to collaborate with various stakeholders
Vivian Mui, M.Ed.
Vivian Mui is a rising fifth-year doctoral student studying Counseling Psychology at Lehigh University. She is a second-generation Chinese American who grew up mostly in the United States and spent some of her childhood as an international school student in Hong Kong. Her research interests revolve around supporting mental health practitioners (e.g., school counselors, teachers, administrators, therapists) and their well-being through trauma-informed care and systems-level prevention intervention efforts. She has clinical experience working at a crisis intervention hotline, college counseling setting, outpatient psychiatric clinic, and as a supervisor at a school-based mental health clinic. Throughout her graduate career, she also taught a course on helping skills and gained two years of experience supervising Master's level trainees, including Lehigh's international graduate students in the international school counseling program. She is beyond excited to share insights, strategies, and best practices tailored specifically for esteemed school counselors and star students!
Pratheek Palanethra
Pratheek Palanethra is the Founder, product inventor and Head of Business Development at Freebowler with 8+ years of entrepreneurial experience building Freebowler, a sports-innovation brand - hardware startup best known for developing and launching Cricket's 1st Arm Simulated, Automatic & Non-Electric Portable Ball Thrower.
Freebowler was featured on Shark Tank India and commercialized the cricket's first-ever non-electric and portable ball thrower in 15+ countries alongside R.Ashwin as the brand ambassador that generated $500,000+ revenue in 5 years. With the patented technology currently available in 15 countries, Freebowler aims to serve the grassroots development of the bat and ball sport across the globe.
Pratheek, a mechanical engineer, by profession - academic background, a cricketer by heart with a professional sports upbringing, and a passion for entrepreneurship, has an ultimate vision to impact people's lives through innovation in the sports business. A facilitator of consumer-centric products from concept to market with emotional intelligence at the core leading to successful partnerships and delivering growth.
Rob Suerth
Rob Suerth graduated from Lehigh with both a B.A. in Psychology and a M.Ed in Secondary and Elementary School counseling. Originally from the Chicago area, he has lived near campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania since graduation. Rob has risen quickly from an admissions counselor to a senior assistant director in his eight years in Lehigh's Office of Admissions. In his free time, Rob enjoys traveling, reading and watching hockey.
College Counselors
The program for counselors will provide an insider’s view into college admissions in the United States through interactive sessions, including:
- A mock application review session where counselors will make decisions on sample applications with guidance from Lehigh University admissions experts.
- Tips on what admissions officers look for in letters of recommendations.
- Advice on navigating international financial aid.
- An open dialogue on the state of admissions and higher education in the United States in light of recent major changes.
Students (Rising High School Seniors)
Each college counselor attending Building Futures is invited to nominate a high-achieving rising high school senior to attend the student track of the workshop. This student program will be led by Dr. Willy Das, Research Scientist and Curriculum Innovation Manager for the Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, who has been featured not only in academic journals, but also in mainstream media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, FastCompany (twice) and Startup Magazine, UK.
Facilitated by Dr. Das, Lehigh@NasdaqCenter’s Global Entrepreneurial Leadership workshop will empower students to understand their vision and develop the skills of being an entrepreneurial leader. By the end of the workshop, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the key components and characteristics of an entrepreneurial mindset in a global context, enabling them to align their vision with their role as a leader. They will gain the ability to recognize and evaluate global opportunities, considering cultural, and social factors, while effectively leading others towards the vision. Additionally, students will acquire the skills to pitch their ideas compellingly and persuasively, understanding how to tailor their message for diverse audiences and stakeholders.
Reception
There will be a special reception on the evening of June 13, 2024, with guest speakers and opportunities for college counselors and students to network with Lehigh alumni, students, faculty and staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, counselors are limited to inviting one student. If this changes, we will let counselors know.
No. Because space is limited and because travel arrangements are not refundable, we ask that you only register when you and the student you intend to bring are reasonably certain you can attend.
No, at this time we are limiting the participation to counselors who are able to attend with a student.
We can only accommodate one counselor per school.
Students cannot attend without a counselor participant and counselors are limited to bringing one student.
This workshop is invite-only, therefore only those counselors who we invite will be considered for the workshop. However, after completing the workshop, you are encouraged to share your experience and recommend other counselors to participate in future workshops.