About

ABOUT

Unlocking the Full Potential of Higher Education Institutions

At Character Arc, our mission is to unleash excellence within higher education by optimizing efficiency and empowering institutions with data-driven, character-focused solutions that drive transformative student success. We achieve this by balancing standardization with personalization across enrollment and student success, providing institutions with meaningful insights that enable informed decision-making. By offering actionable data, we help institutions create environments that foster growth and long-term success, ensuring that every student is equipped to thrive in college and beyond.

Our Core Values

Holistic Excellence

We recognize that true excellence extends beyond academics; our approach integrates character and leadership development to foster well-rounded student success.

Equity in Opportunity

We believe every student, regardless of their background, deserves access to the tools and support necessary for success in education and beyond.

Data-Driven Impact

Our data-driven solutions leverage actionable insights to empower informed decision-making, driving meaningful impact in student development and institutional effectiveness.

Collaboration & Partnership

We work hand-in-hand with institutions to co-create solutions that align with their unique goals and challenges.

Efficiency with Purpose

We streamline higher education operations by balancing standardization with personalization, ensuring institutions achieve excellence without compromising quality.

Innovation for Growth

We continuously refine our methods, leveraging research and technology to create scalable, effective solutions for higher education.

leadership

Shalin J. Shah, MS, MBA

Founder and CEO

Shalin J. Shah, founder of Character Arc, brings over 20 years of experience in engineering, specializing in designing efficient and complex systems. With a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Lehigh University, he has spent his career optimizing processes to drive performance and innovation. Inspired by his passion for education, Shalin founded Character Arc to help students of all backgrounds achieve success in STEM and beyond. Recognizing that character and leadership skills are just as critical as technical knowledge, Character Arc provides higher education institutions with data-driven character assessment and development solutions that help streamline operations, unlock excellence and enhances student success efforts.

Nils Myszkowski, PhD

Product Development, Psychometrician, Validation Consultant

Nils Myszkowski PhD is an expert in psychometrics and psychology. He works with Character Arc to test and validate our proprietary assessment tools and ensure they are reliable. He is also a is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Pace University, NYC. He received his PhD from Université Paris Descartes, and his central research interest is the application and improvement of psychometric methods to measure and understand intellectual/emotional/creative/aesthetic abilities, especially as it applies to occupational contexts. He has authored over 45 peer-reviewed journal articles, is the creator and maintainer of 3 libraries for the statistical programming language R, and published Item Response Theory for Creativity Measurement (Cambridge University Press). In 2020, he received the Berlyne Award for Outstanding Contributions by an Early Career Scholar from the American Psychological Association (Division 10).

professional partners & collaborators

Our team collaborates with professionals in various fields, such as faculty development, program evaluation, and student mentoring, to enhance our work. By drawing on the expertise of these specialists, we ensure our solutions are well-rounded and suited to the specific needs of each institution. This approach allows us to integrate best practices and innovation, supporting improved outcomes for students and institutions.

Internship Opportunities

If you’d like to apply for an internship, we offer opportunities to gain hands-on experience in business development, analytics, and product development. Apply for an internship with us and contribute to transforming higher education.

Company History

Founded in 2018 by engineer Shalin J. Shah MS, MBA, Character Arc emerged from a desire to simplify systems mired in complexity and drive meaningful change in higher education. With 15 years of experience engineering efficient, intricate systems, Shalin recognized that traditional STEM environments often hinder inclusivity and student success. In response, Character Arc developed proprietary assessment tools and comprehensive program evaluations that measure critical character and leadership skills, providing actionable insights to unlock excellence. Our targeted remediation strategies—including personalized coaching and tailored interventions—empower institutions to address specific developmental gaps and foster an environment where every student can thrive. Today, we continue to revolutionize higher education by transforming complexity into clear pathways for success.

Let’s start a conversation.

Character Arc LLC

Located in Philadelphia, PA
and Brookfield, CT

Character Arc is dedicated to empowering educational institutions by fostering the development of essential character skills in students and faculty. Through evidence-based assessments, coaching, and mentoring, we help individuals enhance their personal and professional growth. Our holistic approach focuses on improving student success, retention, and leadership outcomes, ensuring institutions cultivate a thriving academic environment. By offering tailored solutions, Character Arc supports schools in creating effective, character-driven learning experiences. Let us help you unlock the full potential of your students and faculty with transformative, character-focused strategies.