Knack Appoints National Higher Education Leader Dr. Mark Becker to Board of Directors
- Heather Harman
- Jan 29
- 3 min read
Former Georgia State University and APLU president brings deep experience in student success and institutional transformation.
MIAMI, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Knack, the eminent student-led learning strategy for colleges and universities, today announced the appointment of Mark P. Becker, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors as it continues to expand student-centered peer learning at institutions nationwide. As colleges face growing pressure to improve student outcomes, institutions are increasingly focused on delivering timely, personalized academic support at scale. Dr. Becker has played a preeminent role in advancing this work nationally.
Dr. Becker currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Commission for Public Higher Education and is President Emeritus of Georgia State University, where his leadership helped position the institution as a model for student success and equity. He previously served as president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, shaping policy and practice across public higher education.
During Dr. Becker's tenure at Georgia State University, the institution became widely recognized for improving student outcomes at scale, particularly for first-generation, low-income, and historically underserved students. His leadership demonstrated how data-informed strategies and targeted academic support can close achievement gaps and increase graduation rates. That work later became the focus of Won't Lose This Dream: How an Upstart Urban University Rewrote the Rules of a Broken System, a case study frequently cited in national conversations about student success.
"Throughout my career, I've seen that student success grows when learners get the support they need, precisely when they need it. Student peers are a particularly effective and important source of support," said Dr. Mark P. Becker. "Knack is helping colleges advance student success by empowering students to learn from one another in meaningful ways. I'm honored to join the Board and to support a mission that is expanding opportunity and reimagining what student success can look like."
Knack is a trusted partner for colleges and universities seeking to strengthen academic support through scalable, peer-driven learning models. By enabling institutions to identify, credential, and deploy high-achieving students as paid peer tutors, Knack helps make support more timely, personalized, and accessible across the student lifecycle. Dr. Becker's appointment adds deep institutional and policy expertise to Knack's leadership as the company continues to expand its work with colleges focused on improving student outcomes.
"Dr. Becker is one of the most respected leaders in higher education when it comes to bolstering student success at scale. His track record of institutional transformation, most recently at Georgia State, and his national perspective from leading APLU as their former President is incredibly valuable as we continue to expand peer-to-peer support communities nationwide," said Samyr Qureshi, Founder & Executive Chairman of Knack.
About Knack
Founded in 2015, Knack is the leading student success technology strategy that enables higher-ed institutions to power and scale peer learning programs, making support more personalized and accessible for every student, from freshman to senior year. Institutions such as Auburn University, Fordham University, the University of Maine, Rutgers University, and dozens of others partner with Knack to identify, credential, and deploy high-achieving students as paid peer tutors—expanding academic support while creating meaningful, skill-building work. Knack is backed by leading venture investors and education companies, including New Markets Venture Partners, Precursor Ventures, ETS.org, Chegg, Arizona State University Enterprise Partners, Village Capital, and Bisk Ventures. Learn more at joinknack.com.
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