HIGHER ED HAPPENINGS is edited by Professor Brian Pusser and produced by Lynn Bell, Director of Alumni Relations, Curry School of Education, P.O. Box 400268, Charlottesville, VA 22904. Email: lynnbell@virginia.edu

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SPRING 2016

HE Program NewsB Y B R I A N P U S S E R , P R O F E S S O R

Welcome to the 2016 edition of Higher Ed Happenings. Its arrival marks the conclusion of another dynamic year in the program, one shaped by blending new activities with the familiar in order to best serve our students and our mission.

While our program faculty have been active in teaching, scholarly research and national and international service roles (see the Faculty Notes section for details), our students continue to be at the center of our efforts in the Higher Education program. The past half-decade has been a time of rapid growth in the Higher Education program, with increasing enrollments in the M.Ed. program and exceptional undergraduate participation in EDLF 3420 Athletics in the University. The energy, enthusiasm and scholarly commitment that Ph.D., Ed.D., M.Ed., undergraduate, and professional development students from Curry and across Grounds bring to the Higher Education program and our courses is extraordinary.

As just two examples of the excellence our students have achieved this year, Jas Heim (M.Ed. ‘16) received the Curry School’s Outstanding Master of Education Student Award for 2015-16, while doctoral student Terry Hanlon was awarded the 2016 EDLF Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. In the pages that follow we commend all of our Higher Education students, as we turn particular attention to our M.Ed. cohort. The range of their academic interests, achievements and service to the University community is truly exemplary.

Finally, this year we were fortunate to celebrate the return to the Curry School of Helen Chandler (M.Ed. ‘15) and Gerry Starsia (Ph.D. ‘10) in new roles as leaders in the program from which they graduated. Helen has joined the program as the senior student services coordinator for the Higher Education program. Gerry will hold the dual role of associate professor in Higher Education and director of the Curry School Foundation.

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Students in the Athletics in the University course made their final class presentations in the Newcomb Ballroom, with about 270 students in attendance.

HIGHER EDHappenings

Gerry Starsia (Ph.D. 10)

Helen Chandler (M.Ed. ‘15)

2016 Curry Foundation Award Recipients

Congratulations to the following students who received awards and fellowships established by donors specifically to support students in Curry’s Higher Education program.

Annette Gibbs Research AwardEDGAR HALCOTT TURNER II

Jay L. Chronister Student Award in Higher EducationROSE MARIE COLETASHI DEKYID

Alton L. Taylor AwardSARAH HOLDER

Johnnie E. Merritt Graduate FellowshipTERRENCE CHARLES HANLON SARAH E. WHITLEY

Bonnie McKee Mason Clevenger and Daniel W. and RosaLee McKee Mason Fellowship in EducationKATIE WALKER

In 2009 assistant professor Christian Steinmetz (Ph.D. ’08) joined the Higher Education faculty to build a strong mas-

ter of education program, and her efforts have met with resounding success.

The program, which generally attracts peo-ple who are passionate about postsecondary education and making a difference in the lives of students, has grown gradually to accom-modate 40-45 students a year with a 50-60% acceptance rate of applicants.

“We have some room for growth, but we must do so in a targeted and strategic way to maintain our ability to work with students individually,” Steinmetz said.

The M.Ed. is designed to prepare students for success in entry- and mid-career level pro-fessional positions within a variety of postsec-ondary education contexts, and the program’s placement rate is excellent.

“While we don’t know about all of our graduates, I can safely say that of our graduates who actively seek a position in postsecondary education 100 percent find employment within six months,” Steinmetz said.

Graduates go on to work in academic advis-ing, athletic compliance, residence life, service learning, honors program, admissions, develop-ment, judicial affairs and more.

The twelve-month program emphasizes knowledge of theories that underlie practice, the study of diverse student experiences and development, awareness of the organizational and environmental characteristics of the vari-ous types of postsecondary institutions, and an understanding of the political and social forces that shape higher education.

Students generally choose one of three focus areas.

• Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education

• Intercollegiate Athletic Administration • Higher Education Administration

Trevor Lane, reflecting on his just-com-pleted year in the program, said that he most enjoyed the diversity of instruction in the program:

“There has been a wide range of course-work taught by instructors from varying back-grounds that provided a solid foundation for us to stand on as we enter into the real world.”

Steinmetz believes the program’s most important feature is the faculty’s priority on

working with students to meet their educa-tional and professional needs.

“That means being flexible, whether it is thinking about the mix of courses in a student’s concentration area or thinking about elective courses in new ways.”

Elizabeth Scott (M.Ed. ’15) was attracted to the one-year format of the M.Ed. program.

“The financial benefits of a one year pro-gram are excellent, and the fast-paced summer schedule helped me to dive head first into the program material,” she said.

“I was able to start my graduate assistantship in June, which helped me adjust professionally, as well as helped to offset some of my cost of living expenses.”

Scott is currently Assistant Director for Honor Enrichment and Community Standards at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va.

Curry is one of the few schools offering a twelve-month program, Steinmetz adds. “It is an intense year, but students come out prepared and excited to move into professional roles.”

The 36-credit-hour program begins with summer coursework in June, which provides an entry into the program. Fall semester gets busy as students typically dive into their pro-fessional internships in specialized functional areas of higher education, most within UVA or at Piedmont Virginia Community College. This is their opportunity to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it.

“I have really enjoyed my internship,” said Corinne Hester, a 2016 graduate who has been working in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost with the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Accreditation. She has worked on the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which is one part of UVA’s regional accreditation by SACS-COC. She has also attended meetings with various university faculty and staff, as well as a State Council of Higher Education for Virginia meeting about new state legislation that will affect public uni-versities in the Commonwealth.

“My internship experience blended very well with what I learned in my classes this year,” she said.

Hester will continue working with the pro-vost’s office until August and has her sights on a job with a DC area university or higher education council.

“Coming into the professional world as a young adult, we tend to have idealistic ideas about what can be accomplished in a given field,” added Rijo Walker, who interned in the football operations office this year.

“The internship has given me the opportu-nity to see the realities of the field and grow as a future leader within it.”

The master’s program workload typically shifts a bit in the spring semester, as students finish up their coursework and begin the job search.

“The professional development opportuni-ties in the program were invaluable to my success in finding a job and knowing where to start,” said Michael Inge (M.Ed. ’15), who is Assistant Director of Reunions and Class Activities in the UVA Alumni Association.

He added that the experiences and advice shared by the instructors about becoming an efficient job seeker were invaluable.

From some perspectives, the faculty itself is the program’s greatest strength.

“From the very beginning, the faculty in the program made themselves accessible, which I truly believe contributed to my success,” Elizabeth Scott said. “Faculty opened the door for so many opportunities for me. They were my favorite part of the program.”

M.Ed. Program SuccessB Y LY N N B E L L

Christian Steinmetz

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Read more alumni and new graduate responses about the Higher Ed M.Ed. program at curry.virginia.edu/higher-ed-happenings

Doctoral Graduates: Spring 2016

Joe Bouchelle, Ed.DOn Our Own: A Study of the Religiosity of a Faith Based College’s Graduates - Advisor, Brian Pusser.

Robert Jason Cottrell, Ph.D.A Study of Differential Treatment Effects on First-year Student Engagement at Virginia Commonwealth University - Advisor, Mark Hampton.

Amy Moynihan, Ph.D.Adapting to Resemble Others in a Competitive Arena?: The Federal Executive Institute 1993-2013 - Advisor, Brian Pusser

Todd Parks, Ed.DMulti-Actor Policy Implementation in Postsecondary Education: A Descriptive Case Study of the Career and Technical Credit Transfer Policy Implementation Process - Advisor, Brian Pusser

Kedrick Perry, Ed.DThe Application of Logic Modeling to the Inter-Ethnic/Interdisciplinary Mentoring Institute for Graduate Education - Advisor, Heather Wathington.

Steve Sherman, Ed.DPredicting College Closure: Improving Upon the Federal Financial Responsibility Composite Score with Financial Ratio Analysis and Non-Financial Indicators - Advisors, Brian Pusser and Justin Thompson.

Edgar Halcott Turner II, Ed.D.Developing Presidents in Higher Education: Perspectives from Past Presidents - Advisor, David Breneman.

Willie Leondias (Lee) Williams, Ph.DBlack/White Biracial Student Socialization in Higher Education - Advisor, Brian Pusser.

Thank You!

The Curry School Foundation recognizes the generosity of the following alumni from the Higher Education program who have made donations so far in fiscal year 2016:

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These gifts directly benefit Curry students and the quality of their educational experiences. Your support is very much appreciated!

Christy Houston AndersonBob BarnhardtJill BoatrightPatricia BrownSusan CoffeySarah CollieLorri CooperKristen CoulterRobyn DietterBarry DorseyChris FoleyVincent GormanBo GreenwoodCarole GroveDonald HasseltineAlfred IantornoJanelle JenningsTom JenningsJason JonesPat LampkinJay LemonsCheryl Lindeman Linda K. LinnartzMarilyn Lockhart

Mary LuzarEdith MannsAllison MaupinGrace MitchellCatrina MurphyGerald MurrayKelli PalmerDennis ParksTodd ParksClementine PollokJennifer PooleDeborah RheaBrenda RothAnne SanfordElizabeth ScottMarc ShookPeter StarkGerald StarsiaChristian SteinmetzAmy SwanBryn TaylorJustin ThompsonThomas TruesdellEdgar H. Turner II

Juan C. Garibay published a paper in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching. He was an invited member of the Emerging Scholars Panel at the UC Davis School of Education in California on May 3.

Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas was appointed the Research Director of Undergraduate Initiatives for the UVA Center for Contemplative Sciences. She was also featured as a keynote speaker at the 2nd Global Forum on the Innovation of Higher Education at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea. In addition, Dr. Inkelas was awarded a grant from the Jefferson Trust with Dr. Julie Caruccio to study public service projects at UVA.

Brian Pusser’s edited book with Ana Martinez-Aleman and Estela Bensimon, Critical Approaches to the Study of Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press), received the 2016 Outstanding Publication Award from Division J of the American Educational Research Association.

Josipa Roksa and colleagues have pub-lished an edited volume, titled Improving Quality in American Higher Education: Learning Outcomes and Assessment for the 21st Century, described as “An ambitious, comprehensive reimagining of 21st century higher education.”

Gerry Starsia for the second year will be a featured speaker at the summer Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership for 25 rising third-year students who have been selected from multiple schools across UVA. He will speak on the topic of Project Management.

Justin Thompson met with 25 leaders from China’s National Academy of Education Administrators in May on higher education topics. He also spoke with a news correspon-dent from South Korea about the prospect of restructuring higher education in that country as a result of relatively high rates of unemployment and underemployment among their 24-35 year old population—the highest educated per capita within age group among OECD-participating nations.

Faculty Updates

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Read more. Many class notes were abbreviated due to space limitations. You can read the full versions, including photos and fond memories, at curry.virginia.edu/higher-ed-happenings

Grant Azdell (Ph.D. ’10) and Greg Nayor (Ph.D. ’09) wrote Liability and Risk Management: A Guide for Campus Professionals (Paper Clip Communications, 2016). This is their second co-authored book.Andrea Backman (Ph.D. ’06) was named pro-vost and chief academic officer of Strayer University. She most recently served as dean of the Jack Welch Management Institute...Sarah Collie (Ph.D. ’02), assistant vice president for organizational excellence at UVA, was named by The Network for Change and Continuous Innovation: Higher Education’s Network for Change Leadership, one of two 2015 Leaders of Change. Gene C. Crume, Jr. (Ph.D. ‘00) served as the closing plenary speaker at the 13th Annual Institute for Emotional Intelligence. His presentation was titled “Emotional Intelligence as a Catalyst for Visionary Leadership: Exploring a New Vision.” Emily Handy (M.Ed. ’14 SAPHE) and Scott Latham were engaged on April 8, 2016, on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. They moved to Palo Alto, Calif., where Emily is Manager of Student and Young Alumni Outreach at Stanford University…Tom Jennings (Ph.D. ’93) continues to live in Tallahassee, Fla., and serve Florida State University as Vice President for University Advancement, president of the FSU Foundation, and president of the FSU Real Estate Foundation. In February 2016 he earned a “Stellar Speaker” award for a session he presented at the CASE District III Annual Conference titled “The Business of Higher Education Fundraising.” ... Stephanie Glover Keller (M.Ed. ’13 SAPHE) married Thomas Keller on March 5, 2016, in New Bern, N.C. Many Curry classmates were in attendance to celebrate!

Stephanie McGuire (M.Ed. ’14 SAPHE) completed her first year as the senior administrative assistant for the University Council for Educational Administration at the Curry School…Claire Mitchell (Ph.D. ’13) and fellow Curry alumna Sara Currier have opened tread Happy, a bou-tique fitness studio in Charlottesville. www.treadhappy.comChristina Morell (M.Ed. ‘94; Ph.D. ’98) has been appointed as Associate Provost and Director of the Office of Institutional Assessment and Studies (IAS), effective August 8, 2016. ...She presently serves as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs...Annie Rappeport (M.Ed. ’11) accepted admis-sion to the International Education Policy Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland with advisor Dr. Jing Lin. She will be focusing on research related to curriculum development in areas that are rebuilding after a large exogenous shock.Jacob Rooksby (M.Ed. ’07; Ph.D. ’12) wrote The Branding of the American Mind: How Universities Capture, Manage, and Monetize Intellectual Property and Why It Matters, coming in October 2016 ( Johns Hopkins University Press).Larry Rowley (M.Ed. ’95; Ph.D. ’99) is a fac-ulty member in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies and Academic and Research Program Office for Diversity and Mentoring in the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan. He received the 2015 Faculty Cornerstone Award... Anne (Womack) Sanford (M.Ed. ’11) married Will Sanford on April 11, 2015. The couple resides in Prattville, Ala., where she uses development tools acquired at Curry as the membership director of the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Lindsay Skeens (M.Ed. ’15 SAPHE) right after graduation accepted a position as a first year academic advisor at Northern Virginia Community College.Matthew Ulmer (M.Ed. ’11) recently complet-ed a Ph.D. in Administration of Higher Education at Auburn University. He accepted a role with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System as a Workforce & Community Development Specialist at Auburn University.Kaity L. Yang (M.Ed. ’14 SAPHE) will pursue her MBA in nonprofit management at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Calif., this fall. She received the prestigious merit-based ChangeMaker scholarship, which will cover the majority of her tuition and fees. ...She published the e-book Forgive Eunice under the pen name Daphne Kaiserin Zorn in 2015.

IN MEMORIAMFreddie W. Nicholas, Sr. (Ed.D. ’73) died January 28, 2016, at his residence in S. Chesterfield, Va. He was the first graduate assistant in the Curry School’s Higher Education Program. Upon comple-tion of his doctorate in 1973 he became dean of cur-riculum and student development and then provost of the Downtown Campus of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond. From 1978-79 he served as executive vice president at Virginia State University in. He was named president of John Tyler Community College in 1979…

CLASS NOTES

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