How long have you worked at St Cloud and what changes have you seen over that time period?

I have been at St. Cloud State University since 2011. I came here after graduating with my doctorate from LSU. It has been an exciting 9+ years. The university has gone through many changes in all areas from Presidents, administrators, deans, faculty, students, and even athletic conferences. The Higher Education Administration program has grown and expanded over time. We have had multiple faculty retire and have been able to bring on four new faculty members over the past couple of years to make a great new team. We moved the program from a weekend model to an online model to extend our outreach and to meet the needs of our students.

Tell us a little about your higher education journey, how did you get to this point?

I did my undergraduate degree at The University of Memphis. I was very involved as an undergraduate student. I knew late in my junior year that student activities maybe my career path. After I graduated, I went to graduate school at the University of Arkansas and I was a GA in campus programming. Upon graduation, I went to work at the University of Alabama. I was there for 6 years, starting as an Assistant Director of Programming and finishing as an Assistant Dean of Students. I had many responsibilities there including campus programming, the volunteer center, African American Heritage Month, honors awards programs, residential life programs, on-call dean, student seating in athletics, and I was the webmaster. After 6 years, I went to work at LSU as the Associate Director of the LSU Student Union and Director of Programs. It was a unique operation that not only included campus programming but also had a pottery kiln, art classes, and community courses. My favorite was the wine class. After a couple of years, I started my doctorate and decided to become a full-time student. I served as a GA in our College of Education, working with Alumni and Development, sponsored programs, and grants. After 6 years at LSU and completion of my doctorate, I decided to make the move to faculty and came to SCSU.

What areas of higher education do you enjoy researching and why?

Crisis management is my area of interest and research in higher education. My interest comes from my experiences. Because of my roles, I have been in positions where I had to deal with large scale events that could have something go wrong, to working with student injuries and death, to my experiences with Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav in Louisiana.

What is it like being the department chair for the ELHE programs?

It is a unique experience. Being the chair of two great departments, which at this time contain the only two doctoral programs is a lot of responsibility. Both programs are considered revenue-generating, so it really is about making sure we are making smart and informed decisions regarding our finances. Faculty chairs are seen as leaders among equals, so most of what I try to do is to bring our faculty together to make the right decisions for our students and program.

How do you manage your time and balance your responsibilities given your competing and connected responsibilities?

Good question. I will let you know when I have a plan. But seriously, I enjoy my job and try my best to integrate my work life and personal life together. Therefore, I can try and maximize both. Before COVID,

there were great outlets such as college sports and events on campus or in Minneapolis I would attend such as baseball or a concert.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love higher education. I love the power of teaching and what our program can do. We have such great outreach not only in the state of Minnesota but across the country and even the world to influence the future leaders of higher education to make a change. With our students working at so many institutions and moving on to different institutions, we can watch the impact of our work.

What advice do you have for students in higher education or professionals who want to be a faculty member or maybe even a department chair someday?

Model what you want to become. Be sure to go to conferences. Present at conferences. Read and immerse yourself in higher education. Take advantage of every course and what is being taught. It helps to be well rounded in your knowledge of higher education. Those who have talked with me realize I can talk about almost any area of higher ed. That is because I love it, study it, and am constantly learning. One of the most exciting parts of the dissertation experience is to read students’ research and to continue to learn.

Lastly, share with our blog readers how you take care of yourself. What is included in your Self-Care practice(s)?

I love what I do. I integrate what I do for work into what I do for fun. Additionally, I have outlets and friends that are not associated with work. Relationships are important. I try to make the most of them. I choose my battles, especially when it comes to what is on social media. I try not to bring unnecessary stress to myself. I schedule exercise, which I hate, but it is helpful. I enjoy cooking. And most importantly, I love my pups and enjoying looking out for them. Skye, my chihuahua with a disability, has been trained as a therapy dog. It is great to volunteer with her in the community. Rey is just the sweetest pup who enjoys walking and keeps me on my toes.