Higher Education Highlights 2021

HIGHER EDUCATION

Highlights

From the Program Coordinator

It has been an incredible two years for the field of higher education, marked by dramatic disruptions to the status quo and uncomfortable attempts to return to “normal,” whatever that really means. Through all the chaos, Florida State University’s higher education program has continued to thrive. As the coordinator for our MS and PhD programs, I am so proud of the incredible work done by the faculty and students in recent years. In this report, we introduce you to some of our wonderful people and share some of the program’s recent highlights. I am totally biased, but I think the work we’ve been doing is both impressive and important. I hope you’ll agree.

Over the last 18 months, our faculty have published 44 articles in the field’s most prominent journals, six new books on leadership learning, and 13 chapters addressing topics related to social justice, HBCUs, and policy innovation. They’ve served as PI or co-PI on 13 grants – including five from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Institute of Education Sciences (IES) – worth more than $9 million. They’ve also published the first issue of The Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, a new open access journal dedicated to improving student achievement, institutional effectiveness and educational policy.

Those efforts have been recognized by leading professional associations in the form of major awards and fellowships. Among those are Tamara Bertrand Jones’s 2020 Presidential Medal from the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and Kathy Guthrie’s recognition as a Pillar of the Profession by NASPA. Of course, our program’s legacy is driven by the lasting contributions made by our network of exceptional alumni – affectionately called the “LifeNet.” Among our alumni are tenure-line faculty at major research universities, senior administrators at institutions across the country, policy-makers shaping decisions that affect millions of students and executive leaders at the fields’ most prestigious professional associations. We’ll introduce you to some of these distinguished alumni in the following pages, but don’t be surprised when you run into other members of FSU’s alumni “LifeNet” in key roles throughout postsecondary education.

In health and solidarity, Brad Dr. Bradley E. Cox Coordinator of Florida State University’s Higher Education Program

DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION and STUDENT OUTCOMES

By Jennie Kroeger

Florida State University researchers have re-

ceived a $1.5M grant from the Institute of Education Sciences — the independent, nonpartisan statistics, research and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education — to study corequisite developmental education courses and their effect on students’ postsecondary outcomes.

This project responds to Texas House Bill (HB) 2223, which requires all public colleges to implement corequisite developmental education (DE), where underprepared students enroll in introductory math and English courses while receiving DE support.

The project is part of the Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS), which was established in 2014 at FSU’s College of Education to provide support for, and foster collaboration among, those who are interested in conducting research on student success in postsecondary education, and to identify and evaluate institutional, state and federal policies and programs that may serve to improve student success. CPS staff has been awarded over $5 million for research on developmental education reform in Florida by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Institute for Education Sciences and the Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast.

The Center has brought national prominence to the work being done by faculty within the College of Education’s Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department. The new grant will capitalize on the expertise in developmental education reform that CPS researchers have developed but extend it into new policy contexts and geographic areas in order to serve a broader higher education student population.

Toby Park-Gaghan, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and associate director of CPS, is the principal investigator for the project.

Toby Park-Gaghan and Christine Mokher

“Corequisite courses are receiving a great deal of attention by state agencies and individual institutions,” Park-Gaghan said. “However, little is known about how different formats for these courses could be more beneficial for certain student groups.”

Though they are increasing in popularity, Texas was the first state to mandate corequisites as the primary DE model at all public institutions.

Park-Gaghan, along with Christine Mokher, associate professor of higher education and co-principal investigator on the project, will lead a collaboration with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to study the relationship between institutional decisions on corequisite course implementation and postsecondary student success in Texas. They will also determine whether these relationships are affected by student characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, English Language Learner (ELL) status, level of academic preparation and gender.

“Through this research we want to provide state agencies and individual institutions with as much information as possible regarding the effectiveness of different types of corequisite courses,” Mokher said.

For more information about the project, please visit bit.ly/ies-grant.

JOURNAL of POSTSECONDARY STUDENT SUCCESS

By Kelsey Klopfenstein

In

September 2021, Florida State University launched the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success (JPSS), a quarterly, open-access, interdisciplinary journal that publishes peer-reviewed research, editorials and practitioner reports related to student success in higher education.

The mission of JPSS is to foster a community where researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can come together to find solutions to address issues facing postsecondary student success through rigorous and timely research and evidence-based policy and practice.

Dr. Shouping Hu, the Louis W. and Elizabeth N. Bender Endowed Professor of Higher Education in the College of Education, is the founding editor of the JPSS. “JPSS will focus on student success in postsecondary education, with a particular interest in innovations and solutions to promote success for all students and to close the gaps in success in students of different backgrounds,” Hu said.

Covering subjects from data and analytics to strategic finance and organizational and institutional transformation, the journal aims to be inclusive in terms of topics, conceptual perspectives, modes of inquiry, styles and viewpoints, and is divided into four sections: editorials, research articles, essays and commentary and policy and practices.

Hu is also the founding director of the Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS) at Florida State University, a research center dedicated to identifying and evaluating institutional, state, and federal policies and programs that may serve to improve student success. Since its inception in 2014, CPS researchers have won more than eight million dollars of research funding to support research on student success and equity.

The founding of JPSS is a natural extension of CPS to amplify positive voices and scale effective practices in student success and equity in postsecondary education.

To Hu, JPSS is of the community, by the community and for the community. And the launch of JPSS can help eliminate the arbitrary boundaries across different groups working in the student success space and help make intentional connections among researchers and scholars, policymakers, and institutional leaders and administrators.

“The community includes the editorial board, the journal reviewers, the authors, the readers and the supporters of our work, with students at the front and center of all our efforts,” Hu said. “The success of JPSS will be the success of the community, and the success of JPSS will contribute to the success of students.”

The FSU’s higher education program has a history for over sixty years and is considered one of the top programs in the United States. Many of the faculty member’s work in the higher education program centers on student success and equity. The involvement of the faculty members, through serving on the journal’s editorial board, as reviewers, or as contributors, can help serve as intellectual reservoir for the vitality and sustainability for JPSS. The product of teamwork, JPSS is published in collaboration with Florida State Open Publishing, an initiative of FSU Libraries. The journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public accelerates its social impact and supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

For more information and to view the first issue, visit journals.flvc.org/jpss.

ROBERT SCHWARTZ A Legacy in Higher Education

By Kendra Bumpus

Pillar of the Profession. Shaffer Award winner for

Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty member. Department Chair. Higher Education Program Coordinator. Committee Advisor. Dr. Bob. No matter how you know Robert “Bob” Schwartz, we can all agree that he’s the perfect person to ask to sit and talk. An educational historian, Schwartz has spent the past 23 of his 47 years in higher education at Florida State University. Along the way, he’s made some wonderful memories, worked alongside some renowned colleagues, and helped to transform FSU’s higher education program into the program it is today. As we sat down with Dr. Bob, as his students know him, we thought it would be a good opportunity for him to reflect on his time within the field, from his early days as an administrator and then as a new professor up to now, as he approaches his retirement in July 2022.

Smiling, and with his signature sound effects, Schwartz reminisced about some of his most memorable times with his students. Hooding students at the Higher Education Recognition ceremony, courtesy of the Hardee Center for Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education, makes for truly sweet moments where “students get to be with peers and have that special, personal moment of recognition,” said Schwartz.

During his time here, Schwartz led ten years of practicum trips to the various institutions, and getting to reconnect and reminisce with alumni about those experiences is something he enjoys. “This whole concept of visiting other institutions came from Dr. Melvene Hardee years ago,” said Schwartz.

“Dr. Hardee would say that students needed to get out and away from FSU to see what happens on other campuses. That was, and still is, very true.”

Practicum class, which master’s students take during the summer, is a staple of FSU’s program,

and something that truly sets the program apart from other higher education programs around the country.

During his years at FSU, Schwartz has taught a myriad of courses. “There isn’t a class I don’t like to teach,” he said, though with a smile, he did admit that he’s appreciative of his supportive colleagues who now teach some of those classes that wore him out a bit. Creating courses himself, such as his Women in Higher Education course, or reshaping existing courses, such as the Black and Latinx Students course with students like Miguel Hernandez (Ed.D. ’20), has been a treat.

Arguably, Schwartz is most known for the introductory class “Higher Education in America,” which remains one of his favorite courses to teach.

“Unveiling the breadth and depth of higher education to new master’s students, and even staff who may be looking to come back to a graduate degree,” is a fulfilling experience for him. Perhaps this class brings about a feeling of kinship with these administrators; if it wasn’t for a caring professor in a class he took while he was still an assistant dean himself, we may never have gotten our Dr. Bob. When thinking about the landscape of higher education and the changes he has seen, Schwartz reflected on how social justice, one of FSU’s pillars, has come to the forefront. “Higher education has changed in positive ways, in my perspective,” said Schwartz. “We are more inclusive than we used to be. We see a broader range of people now. We appreciate and value those changes and differences, and this has pushed higher education as a field in significant ways.” Schwartz noted that “it is not a perfect system yet,” but the importance of “pushing in the direction to make it better than it has been before” is something he thinks should, and

will, continue to be a way to make a positive difference in the field.

Schwartz noted that the future state of the profession is going to be fascinating over the next few years. “Dropping the GRE is a huge change, and I don’t know what that may mean in the terms of the gatekeeping process with which we are most familiar,” he said. FSU’s program has dropped the requirement for master’s students since the pandemic and has also created a waiver for doctoral candidates to help combat the systemic gatekeeping that has held many students back from pursuing an advanced degree.

His one worry? “The survival and quality of higher education programs around the country.” In his signature way of showing care for student success, yet another pillar of FSU’s program, Schwartz hopes that higher education students are getting the quality experience that they deserve and that

the field is preparing students to have options with their career. “It’s been interesting to see so many former students making a change in the field with what they’re teaching to the next generation of students.” Ever the historian, he noted “that’s where the historical perspective is always so useful and interesting—to see change from that angle.”

It’s no doubt that Schwartz is a leader both in the field and within FSU’s higher education program.

He truly embodies the strength, skill and character (or vires, artes and mores) that helps keep Florida State’s higher education program a top-ranked program within the field. We are sad to say that Schwartz will be retiring in the Summer of 2022 and hope that colleagues are able to connect with him at one of the professional conferences this year.

FROM STUDY BUDDIES TO

FOREVER FAMILY

FSU HIGHER EDUCATION’S

By Jennie Kroeger

“Cocoa Scholars”

Students have formed study groups for about as long as formalized education has been around. Having fellow students in the same proverbial boat as you can serve as a powerful network of support not only academically, but also personally. Some groups can create friendships that last long after graduation, but on rare occasions, some can even become family.

This is the case of a group of recent FSU higher education program graduates of color known as the Cocoa Scholars. This team of eight includes Jhenai Chandler (Ph.D. ‘20), Jesse Ford (Ph.D. ‘20), Miguel Hernández (Ed.D. ’20), Sandra Martindale (Ed.S. ’20), Dawn Matthews (Ph.D. ‘20), LaFarin Meriwether (Ph.D. ‘20), Chandra Myrick (Ph.D. ’20) and Sophia Rahming (Ph.D. ’19).

“Cocoa Scholars emerged out of several separate groups,” says Rahming, the driving force behind the group. “We tried out a few names, but in time we decided that Cocoa Scholars described us perfectly.

At first, we only studied together, but then we started sharing more and more of our personal lives. One day we woke up, and without intending it, we were a family.”

Rahming won the higher education program’s 2015 – 2016 Sherrill W. Ragan’s Leadership & Service Award for her “other mother” role in the group. “I would check on everyone’s progress, clarify assignments, prod, poke, encourage and praise (these became shouts) everyone toward the finish line,” says Rahming. “In short, they let me get in their business.”

The group often looked to faculty in the program

for guidance and direction—particularly Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones, associate professor of higher education. “Dr. Bertrand Jones was our de facto advisor and mentor,” says Rahming. “We went to her for every concern, every triumph, every doubt, and when we needed guidance about what road to take.”

Bertrand Jones took on this responsibility willingly. “As a faculty member, my role in the academy is to create a supportive environment for all students,” she says.

“My personal commitment is to provide a safe place for students and to help them navigate higher education.

As a Black faculty member, my commitment extends to helping students of color thrive personally and professionally.”

We spoke to the scholars to learn more about what their experience in the group meant to them.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT A MEMORABLE MOMENT YOU HAD AS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP. Jhenai Chandler (JC): We share so many memorable moments, but what is most memorable is witnessing my daughter become more ambitious about school when she attended Cocoa Scholars’ study successions and events. As a mom I was always conflicted about spending time away from home to study or work on papers, but this group always welcomed my children and planted seeds for greatness in their lives. They helped with homework and provided social support for my daughter. At the start of the program, Madison was about eight years old. Now at 13 years old, I can see how she applies what she observed at our study

From top left: Jhenai Chandler, Jesse Ford, Miguel Hernández, Sandra Martindale, Dawn Matthews, LaFarin Meriwether, Chandra Myrick and Sophia Rahming

sessions or in our classes in her academics. The representation of Black scholars, the exposure to doctoral classes and COE scholarship breakfasts will have a lasting impression on her academic journey. For me, that’s memorable and justifies the many sacrifices made throughout this journey.

Jesse Ford (JF): When I think about this group, these scholars, this family, the most memorable moments for me are the times we would spend together—typically over a meal, a regression problem or while we were writing our dissertations. I think the most memorable moments outside of completing coursework or having conversations about the state of higher education were the shared laugher and the ideas we generated in community. There is something to be said about shared identities, shared responsibility of each other’s success and shared accountability to make sure we all completed this process.

Miguel Hernández (MH): There were so many transformative moments I had with individuals and the collective group during my doctoral studies. I will

start by sharing that there was a comfort I felt walking into academic spaces and seeing Black and Brown scholars engaged in the process of learning and creating knowledge. I grew to admire my colleagues and simply being around them inspired my curiosity, critical thinking and confidence. I would also say that it was uplifting to navigate the journey in relationship with Black and Brown peers who were willing to coach and guide me when I was unsure of myself, hold me accountable when I was not as focused and celebrate with me when I reached a milestone in the program.

Sandra Martindale (SM): I think the Cocoa Scholars really solidified as a little family during our study sessions for Regression class. We spent long hours together that summer making sure that everyone got it. Sometimes we would even have our favorite baby Cocoa Scholar (Jhenai’s daughter) who I’m sure knows more about Regression than any other kid her age.

Dancing in LaFarin’s kitchen after Thanksgiving dinner.

Somehow Thanksgiving turned into a house party. Still makes me smile.

each other. For example, I got a promotion in my fulltime job, lost two close family members, and gave birth to my first child. The Cocoa Scholars even threw me a baby shower and took extensive notes for me when I went into labor a week after our statistics midterm so that I would be able to understand what I’d missed when I came back. Each of us has had life events take place throughout this journey and have been able to celebrate or provide support to each other in such a beautiful way.

LaFarin Meriwether (LM): My most recent memorable moment is seeing all of us on the screen when the last of us was introduced as Dr. We did it! No one was left behind. All 8. I think that is statistically significant!

Another was being convinced by Jhenai to do a 5k. It was always a good time when we celebrated milestones and life events.

Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones

Watching Sophia walk out of her dissertation defense was special. She was the first Cocoa Scholar to defend and always insisted that she didn’t want anyone there.

I couldn’t imagine not being there for her when she has always been my biggest supporter and fan, so I flew from Barbados and surprised her. We cried like babies when we saw each other.

When my mother died, the Cocoa Scholars took care of me from afar and sent me on a spa day at a local resort.

It was the perfect gift and just what I needed.

Dawn Matthews (DM): My most memorable moments are definitely those long nights during the coursework stages of this process where we would all be locked in a random conference room on campus with food, laptops, books, and coffee. There were countless nights of being on campus well past 1:00 AM trying to understand linear regression or explain our research topics for student development theory. And some nights were less about work and more about fun. The laughter that took place and the accountability and resource sharing that we offered each other during those moments is priceless.

Also, at the end of each semester (and sometimes in between) we would all try to get together for happy hour or dinner as a way to unwind from the semester and decompress. It served as a time of celebration, validation, and motivation to press forward in the upcoming term.

I often think about the many life events that took place among us over the years and how we’ve supported

Chandra Myrick (CM): I have spent many late-night hours with this group. There have been numerous occasions when we have studied or worked on papers until the wee hours of the morning. There have been many late dinners, snacks, laugh breaks and cry sessions spent in Stone, Strozier, and other conference/ meeting rooms on campus. It always felt like the group was never willing to leave anyone behind, so it didn’t matter how late it got; someone was always willing to be there until the last one finished. That was definitely my experience with the dissertation process as I was the last one in the group to defend. Although others were done, they constantly offered to stay up with me on Zoom as I was writing or answered text messages in the middle of the night to make sure I had what I needed to finish.

Sophia Rahming (SR): I have had so many beautiful moments with Cocoa Scholars that it’s tough to choose, but I thought I would share this one: I defended on May 2, 2019, and I gave instructions that no one was to attend my defense. Chan and Miguel disobeyed entirely. They came, and I let them in. The moment that sent me over the brink, so to speak, was when I left the conference room so the committee could deliberate. I made a left turn, and there was Sandra!

She had flown in from Barbados! I cried my eyes out. I knew she had recently lost her mom and that she was going through a hard time, yet there she was, again disobeying instructions, in the Stone building for my defense. Someone snapped a picture of me holding her tightly and crying. It remains one of my favorite memories, among so many, with Cocoa Scholars. A very close second place belongs to having more than

one surgery since I’ve been in Tallahassee, and that for each one, Miguel was there. He brought me home and put me to bed after the last one. These are the actions of family, not study friends.

WHAT DID BEING A PART OF THIS GROUP MEAN TO YOU? JC: As a first-generation college student, I did not have family or many friends who understood the ins and outs of the doctoral process. Cocoa Scholars provided a community of support to vent, seek guidance and support along the way. I would not have made it to the Ph.D. finish line without their love and shoulders to cry on when balancing school, full-time work and family became challenging. We all worked full-time at Florida State University, were first-generation and some were also parents, so the relatability of our shared experiences was an asset. Additionally, Cocoa Scholars meant having a safe group to challenge my thoughts and ideas to be innovative and equity-driven with my scholarship.

JF: As scholars of color, we spend so much time reading and hearing about the complexities of being a student of color and navigating the academy. I am fortunate to have this community, as they are brilliant minds with so much to offer the field of education. I have truly enjoyed knowing that if I need them, I can call on them, and vice versa. No matter how near or far, we stand on the principle of helping each other do well and that’s what this group is for me: a family always striving to do and be better.

“Connecting with other Black and Brown peers was critical and I believe key to retention and graduation.”

MH: I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen years old. I never expected to go to college, let alone graduate from an institution as prestigious as Florida State University with a doctorate degree. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate programs, connecting with other Black and Brown peers was critical and I believe key to retention and graduation. I also believe my Cocoa Scholar family represented an opportunity for individuals whose cultural background and ancestors come from a collectivist tradition to redefine and reshape this academic experience in a way that aligned more with our identity, culture and heritage.

For me personally, being part of the Cocoa Scholars meant that we were not alone. We learned with and from each other. We challenged each other. We spoke hard truths when necessary. We cried through our transformation from who we were to the brilliant people we have become. We created a strong sense of belonging that nurtured us along the way as we experienced every aspect of life from chronic illnesses, divorce, new jobs, death of loved ones and the birth of new lives. Wow, what a journey it has been!

SM: I’m not sure I have enough words to explain how much the Cocoa Scholars mean to me. They were my cheerleaders and my drill sergeants. I know I wouldn’t have finished my degree without them.

DM: It has meant the world to me. I am not 100% certain that I would have been able to finish this degree if it weren’t for the Cocoa Scholars. It’s so hard to feel that you can achieve something when you don’t see anyone else around you with your shared identities achieving it or doing their best to push through. I recognize that so many other Black and Brown students in doctoral programs do not have the opportunities for community that we had, and I am forever grateful to have been able to be on this journey with such great scholars. While I have a great support system beyond FSU, the reality is that no one really knows what it’s like to earn a terminal degree unless they’ve gone through the process before, so there was only so much support my family and friends could offer. Having scholars who could relate and that also knew what it felt like to navigate this journey as a person of color was something that I needed and benefitted from.

LM: This was the village that we as Black students, regardless of education level or experience, are told to find to make it through this journey. We have been taught “you don’t do this alone.” It is not lost on me that my experience of not knowing what it is like to not be in a doctoral class with other Black women or men is an anomaly. This group held me up when I wanted to quit, encouraged me, celebrated with me, laughed and cried with me. There are many Saturdays that Newks on Tennessee Street hosted Jhenai, Jesse and me for our weekly grind sessions. Jhenai reminded me to keep working because of how I felt about little squiggles next to my A’s. These wonderful humans are my family forever and always.

CM: This group has literally been my lifeline for the past six years. There have been many moments of questioning my abilities and my desire to finish this race. This group has been there every step of the way,

from coursework to dissertation writing. I have been so fortunate to have this group in my life as they not only support and encourage me, but they also challenged me to keep going and to hold my head up when things got tough. I cannot properly express how much their support has meant as it has not been limited to only my academic journey; this group has truly poured into supporting me in every aspect of my life. I truly consider them part of my chosen family.

SR: It was everything. They were my friends, my encouragers, my gut check, my chauffeurs (inside joke), my call-on-the-carpet people. We started out as study buddies and grew into a family. We have been there for each other through countless ups and downs, births and deaths, and especially for that thing we all came here to do—finish. We don’t listen to the naysayers, nor the outside voices that would have us believe that we can’t do this work! We’ve been there for each introduction of, “Everyone, join me in congratulating…!” I never got tired of hearing or seeing these moments, and I literally could not have finished without Cocoa Scholars and Dr. Bertrand Jones.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW, CAREER-WISE? HOW DID THE HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THIS GROUP PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

JC: I currently serve as director of the Florida-Caribbean Louis Stokes Regional Center of Excellence, an NSFfunded research collaborative focused on broadening participation in STEM. FSU’s higher education curriculum covered everything from policy, student development, social justice, economics of education and both qualitative and quantitative research methods, which collectively prepared me to successfully lead this center. The training from the higher education program provided me with knowledge and skills to be equity focused, mindful of student experiences and student barriers to student success that allow me to conduct critical research and faculty development to address the underrepresentation of Black and Brown students in STEM. My work isn’t easy. Being a Black woman in an executive/management position at a predominately white institution is complicated. Having a group of trusted friends and colleagues who understand the higher education landscape and can help strategize is vital to my success and survival in the workplace.

JF: Today, I am an assistant professor of higher education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This is the most ironic part of my journey, as I had no aspirations of being a faculty member at

the start of my journey. I was interested to know how they experienced higher education, but I do not think I wanted to actually be a faculty member. The training I received at FSU, through coursework, interacting with the faculty, student involvement, leadership roles and a responsibility to better others led me to this path. I was forever shaped to view and understand the world differently by my peers and the faculty. My advisor, Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones, was instrumental in my development. I would not be where I am without her willingness to advocate, mentor, support and champion me!

MH: Currently, I serve as associate dean of students at the University of California Irvine. In this role I manage six functional areas within the Dean of Students office. These units include the LGBT Resource Center, the Veteran Services Center, the Center for Student Leadership, the Cross-Cultural Center, Sorority & Fraternity Life and the Center for Organizations and Volunteer Programs.

Through our coursework and program requirements, the higher education program increased a number of critical skills I use every day, such as time management, collaboration skills, political awareness, organization and governance, evaluation, assessment, research and more.

DM: I currently serve as an associate director of advising at FSU. The higher education program has taught me how I can approach my work through the lens of a scholar-practitioner. It has also taught me to think critically about the literature that exists on the work that I do and recognize how important it is for me to contribute to my field in that manner. Additionally, I am a young Black woman with a Ph.D. who received so much knowledge and wisdom from our faculty and my peers. Being able to step into spaces that do not cater to my marginalized identities and still be confident in my abilities to speak the language, cite the literature, and utilize my practitioner lens to support the work that I do is a testament to what I’ve gained from the program.

LM: Currently, I am the associate director for residence life at UNC Greensboro. I worked full time while completing my degree and this family was there when both work and school were too much. Even though we are not all in the same state anymore, we still are in contact we each other on a regular basis.

CM: I currently serve as the assistant vice chancellor for student life and executive director of university housing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

I am proud to be a two-time alumna of FSU’s higher education program (M.S. ’02, Ph.D. ‘20). This program has taught me so much about what it means to be a competent professional in student affairs. Many of the principles and values that drive my work were formed during my tenure at FSU as both a graduate student and professional staff member. The higher education program really helped me understand how to be a scholar practitioner. I will always appreciate how I was trained to be a practitioner with very practical training through internships and assistantships, but also how I was trained to be a researcher through my academic coursework. I believe the higher education program has some of the most engaged and supportive faculty in the country. They have truly inspired me to not settle for mediocrity and not limit my ability inside and outside of the classroom.

SR: I’m an associate director in the Center for the Advancement of Teaching at FSU. That’s right, I didn’t leave! I merged my mission to increase the number of minoritized women in STEM with the higher education theory I learned in the program, then threw in some of my educator and grant writing past, and here I am in this job that I love, at the institution that we love (I bleed Garnet and Gold). I hope to give back to the institution at least as much as it has given to me for as long as I am allowed.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO’S CONSIDERING FSU’S HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM (OR GRADUATE SCHOOL IN GENERAL)?

JC: I highly recommend FSU’s higher education program to everyone! The faculty in the department are all engaged in innovative and relevant research, but most of all they are supportive of graduate students. My doctoral committee was phenomenal, and I could not have asked for a better group of faculty to work with on my dissertation. I often read horror stories about doctoral programs, but I have all positives to report about our higher education program. The department offered support from scholarships, quality advising, and one of my favorites—the designated graduate cubicles!

JF: My advice would be to submit that application. If you are considering FSU’s higher education program, then I say do it. You will learn so much about who you are and the work of higher education, but more importantly, how you can better the world we live in.

MH: If you decide to attend Florida State University, I believe you will have access to amazing faculty, a brilliant

community of scholars to learn with and an institution committed to supporting graduate education.

I also encourage you to find your scholar family. Invest the time and energy along the way. The return on this investment is priceless.

SM: You can’t do it alone. Find your tribe. Ask for help.

Everyone may seem to have it together, but you are not alone.

DM: Find your community and utilize them often! This process is a BEAST, and it is easy to feel defeated or as if you do not belong or aren’t smart enough. Having a community can be the determining factor for if you will make it to the end or not. In a community, everyone brings value and adds something meaningful to help the group. This takes the pressure off of having to perfect everything.

Additionally, connect with faculty and seek mentorship.

Not just someone who will guide you on the academic pieces, but someone you can talk to about the life pieces as well. This was something I did a bit later than I should have. Had I done this earlier, I can only imagine how much better my experience would have been.

Give yourself grace and be kind to yourself. One of my fellow Cocoa Scholars would always remind me, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” This was such a powerful reminder that this was my journey; it would look different than the journey of others, so comparing or succumbing to the competition was a waste of time and energy.

LM: Find your people. It is absolutely necessary! I found mine and it made all the difference. Don’t doubt yourself; you are in the program for a reason, and don’t let anyone tell you different. Change the world with your scholarship! For future Black scholars: if you want to write about Black people, do it! No one asks the white scholar why they write about white people.

CM: The higher education program at FSU is really something special. You will get from it what you give to it. You will not lack for support and opportunities to be challenged about what you know and what you need to know to become the student affairs professional you want to be.

SR: Do it! Jelaluddin Rumi, a 13th-century mystic poet, said, “Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”

What graduate school does well is it ignites and fuels

an increased sense of curiosity (bewilderment). The questions never stop. If problem-solving and a search for innovative solutions excite you, graduate school is for you. If you have a restless discontent with the status quo and critiquing, dismantling, and transgressing systems appeal to you, graduate school is for you. More than that, FSU’s higher education program is a great place to do it. Do it!

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? JC: The Sisters of the Academy Research Bootcamp, led by Dr. Bertrand Jones, was a pivotal component of our success. Bootcamp provided mentorship and demystified the dissertation and faculty pathways. It is important for the COE to continue to support this program to ensure more Black women earn Ph.Ds. It was by far one of the hardest weeks of my life, but it benefited me in so many ways both academically and professionally.

DM: Traditionally, communities of color survive based on the ways in which we leverage our village. Our people are our social and cultural capital. They help us build resilience and maintain our aspirations. It is so important that doctoral programs recognize this when admitting marginalized students to their programs.

Having someone be “the only” is harmful to them and does not set them up for success. The Cocoa Scholars are a manifestation of the literature that speaks to the importance of diversity in graduate programs. I truly believe we represent what can happen when Black and Brown graduate students are given the resources (community, financial support knowledge, and confidence) that are needed to be successful. For us, the proof is in the degrees and transcripts.

I also have to acknowledge the faculty of color in the program. For me specifically, Dr. Perez-Felkner was a phenomenal support system when I get pregnant in my second year and was navigating how to juggle school, work and motherhood. Additionally, Dr. Bertrand Jones was my saving grace toward finishing this degree. She has been such a role model and motivator for me as I dealt with life and its many roadblocks. I cried so many tears in her office I’m sure I owe her some tissue boxes. I recognize in hindsight that her allowing me the space to be vulnerable and get out all of my worries and frustration helped me to make room for the mental space I would need to tackle finishing my degree. Her feedback is critical, constructive, and pushes you to want to be as great as she is. I aspire to mentor others in the same ways that I have benefited from it in these ways.

“Our people are our social and cultural capital. They help us build resilience and maintain our aspirations.”

LM: None of this would have been possible without Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones. I don’t have the words to adequately describe her impact on us and me. She gives all of who she is for her students and we were no exception. I know the weight she carries as the lone tenured Black female faculty member in the higher education program. Without her there would be no us.

SR: Dr. Bertrand Jones—our mentor, coach, friend, Sistar, the list goes on—told me something I’ve never forgotten. She said, “You can’t do this work alone!” She was right, as she is about almost everything. I needed her and Cocoa Scholars to get to this point. I need them to keep me growing in my job. I need them to keep me growing as a person. I was Cocoa Scholar #1, and when the last Cocoa Scholar finished, Cocoa Scholar #8, I felt this indescribable joy rise up in me. We were done, and each of us finished in a way that made sense only to that person. No two of us did the same thing nor navigated this process in the same way. Most important was that we knew that no matter what, we had someone who would answer a call, send some resources, get on a plane (who does that?!) because that’s what we do! We love and support our #CocoaScholarFamily!

“I am extremely proud of each of the Cocoa Scholars,” says Bertrand Jones. “They were determined to complete their degrees and did so despite personal trials and the challenges inherent to doctoral education.

It especially warms my heart to see them thrive during their time with us and beyond.”

Though the Cocoa Scholars have all graduated, they’re continuing the important work they began as students in the higher education program. “I am most excited about the impact that these scholars will have on their environments through their research and practice,” says Bertrand Jones, “They all conducted timely, relevant, and rigorous research, and engage in responsive practice that I know is changing higher education to be more diverse, inclusive and just. They inspire me to continue doing my own work!”

It’s clear that the Cocoa Scholars exemplify the three pillars of FSU’s higher education program—student success, leadership and social justice—and will continue to do so for years to come.

Alumni Spotlights DANIELLE MORGAN ACOSTA (PH.D. ‘18) Associate Dean of Students, Clark University President, American College Personnel Association (ACPA)

“While in FSU’s higher education program, I was able to publish articles, write book chapters, teach classes, conduct research and dive into a robust educational conversation where we delved into the various lived experiences of students, developed and implemented strategies on how best to move inclusive policies and systems forward, and applied theory and research to day-to-day work with students, staff and the higher education landscape more broadly. Now, as associate dean of students at my alma mater overseeing student engagement, wellness and belonging initiatives, as well as serving as the president of ACPA, College Student Educators, International—an association committed to boldly Photo courtesy of Clark University transforming higher education through racial justice, decolonization and a focus on student development and learning—the lessons, thinking and learning that took place during my time at FSU help me lead, think critically and support students and staff, even in the most trying of times.”

CARRIE HENDERSON (PH.D. ‘14)

Executive Vice Chancellor, Florida College System “As a doctoral student in the higher education program, my first-year graduate assistantship in 2010 placed me in the Division of Florida Colleges, Florida Department of Education, where I got hands-on research and evaluation experience. This graduate assistantship evolved into a full-time position which allowed me to apply what I was learning in the classroom to state higher education policy. Notably, it was through this placement where I realized my dream was to build a career focused on community college student success.

After earning my Ph.D., I transitioned to a national non-profit position with an emphasis on community colleges. I leveraged that experience to then take on a campus-based role at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Armed with a strong policy background and institutional research experience, my role at FSCJ was the Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation, where I oversaw a number of areas including state and federal reporting, outcomes assessment, resource development, institutional research and strategic initiatives.

In 2018 - eight years after I began as a graduate assistant - I was hired to serve as Executive Vice Chancellor for the Division of Florida Colleges. My career had come full circle. Armed with the strong education and connections from FSU combined with my national and campus-level experience, I provide statewide leadership over academic and student affairs policy, research and analytics, and the Florida Student Success Center. My experience at FSU provided a solid foundation for this role and will continue to inform my future career path.”

FRANK CUEVAS (M.S. ‘93, ED.D. ‘10)

Vice President for Student Life, University of Tennessee

Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee

Frank Cuevas, vice president for student life at University of Tennessee, is a three-time alumnus of Florida State University. Having completed his undergraduate degree at FSU, he fell in love with the FSU campus and student affairs and joined the higher education master’s program.

Suddenly, five years turned into 15 years, and he began to work on his Ed.D. Cuevas had great experiences with the faculty—some of whom became mentors—and was supported professionally as he was pursuing his degree part-time while working full-time in Student Affairs. With a core belief that education is a way to help ourselves and others, Cuevas found that higher education is a realm that compliments the learning in classrooms and helps to ensure student success.

A few things he highlights about FSU’s higher education program are the strong curricular program, the cohort-based model, a caring environment built by responsive faculty, and the way FSU integrates theoretical framework into practical experiences to help students be successful in their next roles. The breadth of topics that FSU courses cover allows graduates to walk away with a mindset that helps solve issues on campus.

According to Cuevas, some of the distinctive aspects to the program that help set FSU apart are the practical experiences and the practicum course. The experience that master’s students get when they visit other campuses and get a feel for what student life is and how it looks at institutions, both within the state and internationally, prepares them with good foundations. Cuevas believes that FSU’s higher education program overlays social justice to a student’s foundation, leading to student success, and that FSU graduates have strong talent who are well prepared for the field.

HAYLEY SPENCER (PH.D. ‘21)

Director of Research & Analytics, Division of Florida Colleges When Hayley Spencer began her role with the Division of Florida Colleges in June 2020, one of her first projects involved data collection related to alternative placement methods for dual enrollment and developmental education. Due to COVID, there was a temporary policy change that her team was able to study and learn about how colleges approached this change.

“FSU helped to prepare me for this role in many different ways,” said Spencer. “Many of my research and policy courses helped prepare me for the technical aspects of my role as I work on research projects, data collection and analysis, and policy implementation. Additionally, my graduate research assistantship with the Center for Postsecondary Success provided a great introduction to the Florida College System, which was very helpful when starting to work at the Division.”

Faculty Achievements PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES

Acosta, A. A., & Guthrie, K. L. (In Press). Defining a leader: The leadership identity development of Latino men. Journal of Leadership Education.

Acosta, A. A., & Guthrie, K. L. (2020). Haciendose un Líder: Leadership identity development of Latino men at a Predominantly White Institution. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, doi. org/10.1177/1538192720932472.

Cameron C. Beatty

Beatty, C. C., & Manning-Ouellette, A. (In press). Building Identity, Capacity, and Efficacy: Exploring Leadership Learning Through Short-term Study Abroad Experiences. Journal of Leadership Education.

Beatty, C. C., & Lima, A. (2021). Normalcy, Avoidance, Consciousness Raising: Exploring How Student Leaders Navigate Racial Battle Fatigue. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.fsu. edu/10.1080/19496591.2021.1955697 Beatty, C. C., Tevis, T., Acker, L., Blockett, R., & Parker, E. (2020). Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Higher Education: Love Letters to Blackness and Recommendations to Those Who Say They Love Us. Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity (JCSCORE), 6(1), 22. https://journals.shareok.org/jcscore/article/view/127/64 Beatty, C. C., Wiborg, E., Brewster, B., & LeBlanc, J. B. (2021). Alumni applied leadership learning: The influence of an undergraduate academic leadership program. Journal of Leadership Education, 20(1), 128-139. DOI:10.12806/V20/I1/R9 Beatty, C. C., Wiborg, E. R., & Brewster, B. (2021). Exploring the Outcomes of an Academic Leadership Program: Building a Bridge Between Learning Across Difference. Florida Journal of Education Research, 59(1), 15. https://feraonline.org/ article/1-exploring-the-outcomes-of-an-academic-leadership-program-building-a-bridge-between-learning-across-difference/ Beatty, C. C., Irwin, L., Owen, J. E., Tapia-Fuselier, N., Guthrie, K. L., Cohen-Derr, E., Hassell-Goodman, S., Rocco, M., & Yamanaka, A. (2020). A call for centering social identities in the national leadership education research agenda, Journal of Leadership Studies, 14(3), 39-44. DOI: 10.1002/jls.21719 Brower, R.L., Nix, A.N., Daniels, H., Hu, X., Bertrand Jones, T., & Hu, S. (2021). A pedagogy of preparation: Incorporating practices from developmental education into college-level coursework in community colleges. Innovative Higher Education, 1-18.

Brower, R. L., Bertrand Jones, T., & Hu, S. (2021). Overcoming the ‘trash talk in your head’: Extending an ethic of care to students experiencing intersectional stigma in community college. AERA Open.

Brower, R. L., Hu X., You, J., Hu, P., Daniels, H., Bertrand Jones, T. & Hu, S. (2021). We can do this together: Intergenerational learning and academic motivation in community college. Community College Journal of Research and Practice.

Brower, R. L., Mokher, C., Bertrand Jones, T., Cox, B. E., & Hu, S. (2020). From grassroots to ‘need to know’: Distributed leadership and data cultures in Florida’s community colleges. AERA Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419899065 Brower, R. L., Mokher, C., Bertrand Jones, T. C., Cox, B. E., & Hu, S. (2020). From democratic to ‘need to know’: Linking distributed leadership and data cultures in the Florida College System.

AERA Open, 6(1).

Brower, R., Bertrand Jones, T., Hu, S., & Park-Gaghan, T. (2020). Student self-determination following developmental education reform in Florida. Teachers College Record, 122(1), 1-32.

Tamara Bertrand Jones

Chunoo, V. S., Tevis, T., Guthrie, K. L., Norman, S., & Corces-Zimmerman, C. (2020). Evolution and revolution: Social justice and critical theory in leadership education research, Journal of Leadership Studies, 14(3), 45-49. DOI: 10.1002/jls.21713.

Cox, B. E., Brogdon, B., Roy, A., & Edelstein, J. (2020). Navigating challenges to facilitate success for college students with autism. Journal of Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.

2020.1798203 Cox, B. E. & Nachman, B. R. (2020). Improving quantitative research and assessment about college students with disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 33(3), 239-246.

Bradley E. Cox

Cox, B. E., Nachman, B. R., Thompson, K., Dawson, S., Edelstein, J., & Breeden, C. (2020). An exploration of actionable insights regarding college students with autism: A review of the literature. Review of Higher Education, 43(4), 935-966. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2020.0026 Guthrie, K. L., Hu, P., Batchelder, J. M., & Purita, R. (In Press). Online Academic Leadership Programs in the United States: An Overview. Journal of Leadership Education. Guthrie, K. L., & Torres, M. (2021). Latinx leadership learning: Lessons from an undergraduate academic course. Journal of Leadership Education, 20(3), 23-32. DOI: 10.12806/V20/I3/A4.

Hu, X. & Hu, S. (in press). Do colleges perform the same following developmental education reform? The case of Florida’s Senate Bill 1720. Research in Higher Education.

Leeds, D., & Mokher, C. G. (2020). Improving indicators of college readiness: Methods for optimally placing students into multiple levels of postsecondary coursework. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 42(1), 87-109. doi:10.3102%2F0162373719885648 Mokher, C. G., & Jacobson, L. (2021). A partnership model approach to understanding challenges in collaboration around college readiness. Educational Policy, 35(3), 450-480. doi:10.1177/0895904818823742 Mokher, C. G., & Jacobson, L. (2021). Beyond academic preparation: The role of high schools in shaping postsecondary plans for underprepared students. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 1-21. doi:10.1080/15700763.2021.1885719 Kathy L. Guthrie

Mokher, Christine G, Park-Gaghan, T. J., & Hu, S. (in press). Accelerating success: The impact of Florida’s developmental education reform on credit accumulation. Teachers College Record.

Mokher, Christine G, Park-Gaghan, T. J., & Hu, S. (in press). Does the method of acceleration matter? Exploring the likelihood of college coursetaking success across four developmental education instructional strategies. Teachers College Record.

Mokher, C. G., Park-Gaghan, T. J., & Hu, S. (2021). Shining the spotlight on those outside Florida’s reform limelight: The impact of developmental education reform for non-exempt students. Journal of Higher Education, 92(1), 84-115. doi:10.1080/0022154 6.2020.1782308 Mokher, C. G., Park-Gaghan, T. J., & Hu, S. (2021). What happens to efficiency and equity? The cost implications of developmental education reform. Research in Higher Education, 62, 151–174. doi:10.1007/s11162-020-09593-w Mokher, C. G., Park-Gaghan, T. J., Spencer, H., Hu, X., & Hu, S. (2020). Institutional transformation reflected: Engaging in sensemaking and organizational learning in Florida’s developmental education reform. Innovative Higher Education, 45(1), 81-97. doi:10.1007/s10755-019-09487-5 Mokher, C. G., Pearson, J., & Geraghty, T. (2021). Improving math and science instructional quality: Evidence from a consortium-based reform initiative. Planning and Changing, 50(1/2), 37-57.

Mokher, C. G., Spencer, H., Park, T., & Hu, S. (2020). Exploring institutional change in the context of a statewide developmental education reform in Florida. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 44(5), 377-390. doi:10.1080/10668926.2019.1610672 Nachman, B. R., McDermott, C. T., & Cox, B. E. (2021). Brief report: Autism-specific college support programs: Differences across geography and institutional type. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04958-1

Shouping Hu

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES (CONT) Nix, A. N., Bertrand Jones, T., Brower, R. L., & Hu, S. (2020). Equality, efficiency, and developmental education reform: The impact of SB 1720 on the mission of the Florida college system. Community College Review, 48(1), 55-76.

Nix, A. N., Daniels, H. Hu, P., Bertrand Jones, T., & Hu, S. (in press). “There’s so much that we’re doing”: How Florida College System Institutions address basic needs insecurity among students.”

Community College Review.

Nix, A. N., Bertrand Jones, T., & Hu, S. (in press). Advising academically underprepared students in the College for All era. Review of Higher Education.

Lara Perez-Felkner

Park-Gaghan, T. J., Mokher, C. G., Spencer, H., & Hu, S. (2021). Do rising tides lift all boats? Exploring heterogeneous treatment effects of Florida’s developmental education reform by high school academic preparation. American Journal of Education, 127(3), 471-495. https://doi.org/10.1086/714244 Park-Gaghan, T. J., Mokher, C. G., Spencer, H., Hu, X., & Hu, S. (2020). What happened when developmental education became optional in the Sunshine state? The Impact of Florida’s developmental education reform on introductory college-level course completion. Educational Researcher, 49(9), 656– 666. doi:10.3102/0013189X20933876 Perez-Felkner, L. (2021). Affirmative Action Challenges Keep on Keeping On: Responding to Shifting Federal and State Policy.

Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 25(1), 19-23. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.

1080/13603108.2018.1529639 doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2018.15 Perez-Felkner, L. (2020). Editorial: Surpassing STEM’s Gender Limitations: Structures, Interventions, and Systems Change. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 11(3), 1-4.

Perez-Felkner, L., Ford, J.(d), Zhao, T.(d), Anthony, M.(d), Harrison, J.(d), & Rahming, S.(d) (2020).

Basic Needs Insecurity Among Doctoral Students: What It Looks Like and How to Address It. About Campus: Enriching the Student Learning Experience, 24(6), 18-24. Retrieved from https:// journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1086482219899649 doi:10.1177/1086482219899649 Perez-Felkner, L., Felkner, J., Nix, S.(d), & Magalhaes, M.(u) (2020). The Puzzling Relationship between International Development and Gender Equity: The Case of STEM Postsecondary EdChristine G. Mokher ucation in Cambodia. International Journal of Educational Development, 74, 1-11. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059319300756 doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2019 Pierre, D., Beatty, C. C., & Duran, A. (in press). No Place Like Home: The Coming Out Experiences of Gay Men in Student Affairs and Higher Education Preparation Programs. Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs.

Pierre, D., Dunn, A. L., Barnes, A., Moore, L., Seemiller, C., Jenkins, D. M., Priest, K., Guthrie, K. L., Beatty, C. C., Bitton, A., Duran, A., Bailey, K., & Odom, S. F. (2020). Gaps in professional leadership education preparation, Journal of Leadership Studies, 14(3), 56-62. DOI:10.1002/jls.21712.

Whitney, R., & Guthrie, K. L. (2020). The adaptive leadership of social media influencers related to COVID-19. Journal of Contemporary Education Theory & Research, 4(2), 42-45.

BOOKS Beatty, C. C., & Guthrie, K. L. (2021). Operationalizing culturally relevant leadership learning. Information Age Publishing.

Guthrie, K. L., Beatty, C. C., & Wiborg, E. (2021). Engaging in the leadership process: Identity, capacity, and efficacy for college students. Information Age Publishing.

Guthrie, K. L., & Chunoo, V. S. (Eds.). (2021). Shifting the mindset: Socially just leadership education. Information Age Publishing.

Toby Park-Gaghan

Guthrie, K. L., Jenkins, D., & Associates. (2020). Transforming learning: Instructional and assessment strategies for leadership education. Information Age Publishing.

Guthrie, K. L., & Priest, K. L. (Eds.). (In press). Navigating Complexities in Leadership: Moving Towards Critical Hope. Information Age Publishing.

Volpe White, J., Guthrie, K. L., Torres, M. & Associates. (2020). Thinking to transform: Facilitating reflection in leadership learning. Information Age Publishing.

BOOK CHAPTERS Bertrand Jones, T. C., Ford, J., Pierre, D. F., & Davis-Maye, D. (2020). Thriving in the academy: Culturally responsive mentoring for Black women’s early career success. In Gail Crimmons (Ed.), Strategies for Supporting Inclusion and Diversity in Higher Education (pp. 123-140). London, Palgrave Macmillan.

Chunoo, V. S., & Guthrie, K. L. (2021). Now more than ever: The imperative for socially just leadership education. In K. L. Guthrie, & V. S. Chunoo (Eds.). Shifting the mindset: Socially just leadership education (pp. 1-8). Information Age Publishing.

Guthrie, K. L., & Chunoo, V. S. (2021). Moving beyond a call: Collectively engaging in socially just leadership education. In K. L. Guthrie, & V. S. Chunoo (Eds.). Shifting the mindset: Socially just leadership education (pp. 273-280). Information Age Publishing.

Hanson, D.(d), Perez-Felkner, L., & Thayer, D.(d) (2020). Overview of Higher Education (USA). In C. D. Clark & W. J. Jacob (Eds.), Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies. Bloomsbury Press.

Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781350996489.0012 LeBlanc, J. B., & Guthrie, K. L. (2021). Community-University partnerships as socially just leadership education. In K. L. Guthrie, & V. S. Chunoo (Eds.). Shifting the mindset: Socially just leadership education (pp. 221-230). Information Age Publishing.

Sally Watkins

Matthews, D., & Bertrand Jones, T. C. (2021). HBCUs: The foundation and future of social justice, leadership, and leadership development. In G.B. Crosby, K.A. White, M.A. Chanay, & A.A.Hilton (Ed.), Reimagining Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Survival Beyond 2021 (pp. 41-51).

Emerald Publishing.

Mokher, C. G. (2021). Reforming transitions from high school to higher education: Evidence on the effectiveness of college readiness policies. In Perna L.W. (Ed.), Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, vol 36 (pp. 48-96). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44007-7_5.

Pearson, C., & Guthrie, K. L. (2020). Using Twitter as a technology tool to teach leadership. In S. Allen, K. Gower, and D. Allen (Eds.). Handbook of Teaching With Technology in Management, Leadership, and Business (pp. 523-545). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Perez-Felkner, L., Ramirez Surmeier, L.(d), & Rezaei, R. (in press). Gender and Educational Inequality. In M. Berends, B. Schneider, B., & S. Lamb (Eds.), Handbook on Sociology of Education. Sage Publications. 31 pages.

Shenberger, M., & Guthrie, K. L. (2021). Leader activists: Connecting leadership learning and student resistance. In K. L. Guthrie, & V. S. Chunoo (Eds.). Shifting the mindset: Socially just leadership education (pp. 193-206).

Information Age Publishing.

Tandberg, D., Lee, J. Lacy, A., Hu, S., & Park-Gaghan, T. (in press). State higher education policy innovativeness. A new measure for research and policy. In Perna L.W. (Ed.), Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, vol 37. Springer.

Scruggs, S, & Watkins, S.R. (2021). Challenging Ableist Leadership Education. In K. L. Guthrie, & V. S. Chunoo (Eds.). Shifting the mindset: Socially just leadership education (pp. 193-206). Information Age Publishing.

Marianne Lorensen

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Ardoin, S., & Guthrie, K. L. (Eds.). (2021). Leadership learning through the lens of social class (New Directions in Student Leadership No. 169). Wiley & Sons.

Barrow, L., Cavalluzzo, L., Geraghty, T., Mokher, C. G., & Sartain, L. (2020). The signaling, screening, and human capital effects of National Board Certification: Evidence from Chicago and Kentucky high schools (Working Paper, No. 2020-06). Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.21033/wp-2020-06 Beatty, C. C., Wright, J. E., Gaozhao, D., Wiborg, E. R., Clay, A., Jr., & Davis, K. (2020). COVID-19 In Florida: A Breakdown of Disparities in the Black Population By County for June & July 2020 (Research Brief). Florida State University. http://fsu.digital. flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu%3A752394 Cox, B. E., Kepple, C. R., Francis, C. B., & Griffing, O. M. (2020). Autism-Specific College Support Programs: National Report.

College Autism Network.

Leeds, D. M., & Mokher, C. G. (2020, January). Misplaced: The accuracy and limitations of college readiness indicators [Webinar]. Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from https://cprehub.org/research-minutes/misplaced-accuracy-and-limitations-college-readiness-indicators Parker III, E. T., Tevis, T., Beatty, C. C., & Blockett, R. (2021). We’ve Seen This Movie Before: The Disingenuity of Routine Institutional Responses to Address Anti-Black Racism. Developments: College Student Educators International (ACPA). https://developments.myacpa.org/weve-seen-this-movie-before-the-disingenuity-of-routine-institutional-responses-to-address-anti-black-racism-parker-iii-tevis-beatty-blockett/ Perez-Felkner, L., Shore, C.(d), Dickens, T., & Yang, M. D.(d) (2020). Engineering Resilience through Research Mentorship: Manufacturing Pathways to Careers. In American Society for Engineering Education. PEER Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education. Retrieved from https://www.asee.org/public/conferences/172/papers/31731/view Woodin, S., Perez-Felkner, L., Purita, R.(d), Moran-Melendez, A.(u), & Baker-Smith, C. (in press). Southern Scholarship Foundation: Education for Life (White Paper). Southern Scholarship Foundation.

GRANTS Turner, J., Roehrig, A. D., Bertrand Jones, T., Auman, P., Tani, N. (Jul 2022–Jun 2027). Partners United for Research Pathways Oriented to Social Justice in Education. Funded by Institute of Education Sciences. (R305B170017). Total award $1,020,800.

Beatty, C. C. (PI), & Wright II, J. E. (Co-PI). (May 2020–Aug 2020). CCSF Covid: COVID-19: Florida & the Case for Addressing Inequities Locally. Funded by FSU. Total award $18,077.

Beatty, C. C. (PI), & Manning-Ouellette. (Jun 2019–Sep 2020). Exploring the Racial Battle Fatigue of First-Year Undergraduate Student Leaders of Color. Funded by Association of College and University Housing Officers- International. (Award #17036).

Total award $6,625.

Cox, B. E. Autism-Related Characteristics in College STEM Students: Prevalence, Performance, Mediation $299,710; Principal Investigator; National Science Foundation, Award #1612090; 2016-21.

Park-Gaghan, T.J., & Mokher, C.G. Exploring Co-Requisite Developmental Education Models, $1,549,630; Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Award # R305A210319; 2021-2025. https://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/ details.asp?ID=4639 Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (PI), & Hu, Shouping (Co-PI). (Aug 2019–Jul 2023). Gendered pathways: From Florida’s two-year institutions to computing degrees. Funded by the National Science Foundation. (1920670). Total award $1,011,361.

Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (PI). (Aug 2021–Aug 2022). Making Hunger Visible: Florida Research-Practitioner Partnership on Food Insecurity. Funded by American Educational Research. (NA). Total award $5,000.

Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (PI). (Aug 2021–Aug 2022). Student Experience Research Network Midcareer Fellows Program.

Funded by New Venture Fund. Total award $61,106.

Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (PI). (May 2021–Aug 2021). COFRS: Meeting Needs, Obtaining Degrees: Examining the Educational Outcomes of a Rent-Free Housing Intervention in Florida. Funded by FSU CRC. (None). Total award $20,000.

Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (PI). (Oct 2018–Aug 2021). Education for Life. Funded by Temple University. (264132-FSU). Total award $82,720.

Reid Marks, L. (PI), Jenkins, L. (co-PI), & Perez-Felkner, L. (co-PI). (2020). Applying Bystander Interventions to Racial Microaggressions in a College Student Population. FSU Office of Research, Collaborative Collision Mini-Grant Competition on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion. Total award $25,000.

Whalley, David B (Co-PI), Liu, Xiuwen (Co-PI), Wang, An-I A (PI), Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (Co-PI), & Haiduc, Sonia (CoPI). (Oct 2020–Sep 2025). Using Fine-Grained Quantitative and Qualitative Data to Enhance Curricula and Broaden Participation in Computer Science. Funded by National Science Foundation. (2030070). Total award $999,848.

Hu, Shouping (PI), Bertrand Jones, Tamara C (Co-PI), Park, Toby J (Co-PI), & Perez-Felkner, Lara Cristina (Co-PI). (Nov 2016– July 2022). Center for Postsecondary Success FL Measurement and Evaluation Partnership. Funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (OPP1161017). Total award $1,098,029.

Hu, Shouping (PI), Bertrand Jones, Tamara C (Co-PI), Mokher, C. (Co-PI), & Park, Toby J (Co-PI). (Jul 2016–Jun 2022). Evaluation Of Florida’s Developmental Education Redesign. Funded by Institute of Education Sciences. (R305A160166). Total award $3,300,000.

AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS CAMERON C. BEATTY • • • • • •

McKnight Junior Faculty Development Fellowship (2020–2021) Elizabeth A. Greenleaf Distinguished Alumni Award, Indiana University, Higher Education & Student Affairs Program (2021) Equity Diversity and Inclusion Award, NASPA Region III (2021) Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education and Research Award; Coalition for Multicultural Affairs, ACPA (2021) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegium of Scholars, Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College (2020) Inclusive Teaching and Mentoring Award, University Teaching Award; Florida State University (2020)

KATHY L. GUTHRIE • •

Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (2021) Pillar of the Profession, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (2021)

TAMARA BERTRAND JONES •

Presidential Medal- Local Change Agent, Association for the Study of Higher Education (2020)

LARA PEREZ-FELKNER • • • • • •

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, College of Education, Florida State University (2021) R&R Excellence in Reviewing Award, Sociology of Education Journal, American Sociological Association (2021) Finalist, Robert M. Gagne Research Award, Florida State University (2021 NSF QCM Critical Quantitative Scholar, Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational, and Mixed-Methodologies (ICQCM) (2021–2023) ASHE/Ascendium Fellow, Student Success & STEM Research Team (2021–2022) Mid-Career Fellow, Student Experiences Research Network (SERN) (2021–2022)

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