Commission for Professional Preparation Directorate Elections
Candidate Biographies
Name: D. Eric Archer
Title: Assistant Professor
Institution: Valdosta State University
Full-time faculty in a higher education/student affairs graduate program
1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
I hold a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies — Higher Education Administration from Oklahoma State University. I have seven years experience in housing and residence life and over five years experience teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in counseling, human and student development, educational leadership, and research methods at both a major public research university and two other mid-sized regional state institutions. I currently serve as an Assistant Professor for Higher Education, Student Affairs, and Research Methods in the Higher Education Leadership Program at Valdosta State University. In this position I teach masters and doctoral courses in higher education, student affairs, and graduate research; advise masters students; serve on doctoral dissertation committees; and coordinate internship experiences for our higher education and student affairs programs.
2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have no prior formal experience with the Professional Preparation Commission. I attended the commission meeting at the 2010 conference where I was recognized as the 2009-2010 Nevitt Sanford Writing Award recipient.
3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have served as a program reviewer for both ACPA and NASPA in previous years and have participated as a presenter at ASHE and AERA on several prior occasions. I also participated in the 2010 NASPA Doctoral Student Seminar.
4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I am interested in serving on the Professional Preparation Commission to assist in its efforts to guide and support quality educational experiences at the various institutions training our next generation of student affairs scholars and practitioners. I am excited by the prospect of discussing the successes and challenges of contemporary student affairs preparation programs with my directorate colleagues and believe I could bring a valuable perspective from prior professional and academic experiences in the field. I also have a strong desire to give back to ACPA through my service on the directorate as I feel the organization has done much to support my previous and current educational and professional endeavors.
5. Do you have other major involvements in ACPA or other associations that will prevent your participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention?
No.
[Back to the top]
Name: Delight Champagne
Title: Professor and Director, Student Personnel Administration in Higher Ed. Program
Institution: Springfield College, Springfield, MA
Full-time faculty in a higher education/student affairs graduate program
1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
I have been the coordinator of the Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education Program at Springfield College for the past 25 years. My professional background includes experience in career development, adult education, counseling, and teaching in college and public school settings.
I obtained my Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of Connecticut, an M.A. in 1981 from the University of Connecticut, and a B.A. in 1969 from Boston University.
2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have been a member of the Professional Preparation Commission for over 25 years. I served as Chair and Past Chair of Commission XII from 1988-1992, Vice Chair and Secretary in 1987, Directorate Body member from 1985-1988. While on the Directorate, I served as liaison to the Standing Committee for Women and the Commission for Commuter Students. As a member, I was the liaison to the Council on Professional Issues from 1997-2004.
3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have held the following positions within ACPA: Coordinator of the Annuit Coeptis Award (2005-present), Chair of the Council on Professional Issues (1998-1999 and 2001-2002), ACPA Executive Council member (1998-1999, 2001-2002), Council on Professional Issues member and liaison from Commission on Professional Preparation (1997-2004).
NASPA involvement has included: JSARP/NASPA Journal Editorial Board (2005-present), Region I Advisory Board member (1997-2000), Region I Conference Program Planning Committee (1993-1996 and 2004-2007), Region I Elections Committee (1993-1996), Region I Faculty Network (1989-present).
4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
The Professional Preparation Commission has been a major resource for me throughout my years as a faculty member in CSP. It has provided me with rich resources for my program, my curriculum, and my professional well-being. I truly feel that the Commission on Professional Preparation has made an important impact on our graduate programs. I want to contribute to the ability of the commission to continue to support faculty in their efforts to develop programs that make a difference in the lives of students and new professionals. In essence, I want to “give back.”
5. Do you have other major involvements in ACPA or other associations that will prevent your participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention?
No.
[Back to the top]
Name: Danielle De Sawal
Title: Clinical Assistant Professor & Coordinator of the Master’s Program
Institution: Indiana University
Full-time faculty in a higher education/student affairs graduate program
1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
This is my sixth year as the program coordinator for the Indiana University Higher Education and Student Affairs master’s program. Currently, I teach a variety of the core requirements of the program including Introduction to College & University Administration, Student Development Theory and Research, Professional Development in Student Affairs, and Diverse Students on the College Campus. In addition to teaching within the program I advise our peer-reviewed student journal and collaborate with colleagues across campus in the development of undergraduate courses related to student affairs. Prior to my faculty position I served as research assistantship on a national grant looking at Latino/a college success. I earned my Ph.D. in Higher Education from Indiana University, a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Arkansas, and B.S. from Colorado State University in Family and Consumer Sciences.
2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
Currently, I have been working with the financial tracking associated with the ACPA Graduate Preparation Directory.
3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
My involvement with professional organizations in the profession extends from working as the Educational Program Coordinator at the ACUI Central Office to reviewing program submissions for the annual conferences. Within ACPA I have served on the 2006 National Convention Planning Committee as the General Convention Volunteer Coordinator. Within NASPA I have also served on the Regional Planning committee and coordinated the Mid West Meeting Of Graduate Students In Student Personnel.
4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I would like to serve on the commission to further our mission related to the recruitment of future student affairs professionals and the professional development of the student affairs teaching faculty. Continuing to engage faculty in discussions related to our best practices is something I would like to see expanded. As higher education continues to embrace the online environment, the opportunity to create educational connections virtually between faculty members offers the commission a way to deliver professional development opportunities throughout the year. As our undergraduate students learn more about the profession of student affairs, we are seeing them express interest in our field at an earlier point in their collegiate career. These early inquiries may impact how we may need approach the recruitment of future student affairs professionals. The commission offers the ideal environment to engage in a dialogue related to how we retain and involve students in further understanding the field of student affairs throughout their undergraduate career. I am interested in being a part of the commission to not only support the outstanding programs currently offered, but to also work with my colleague to create new initiatives.
5. Do you have other major involvements in ACPA or other associations that will prevent your participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention?
No.
[Back to the top]
Name: Karen Haley
Title: Assistant Professor
Institution: Northern Illinois University
Full-time faculty in a higher education/student affairs graduate program
1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
I have a BA in Mathematics, an MEd in Student Personnel Administration, and an EdD in Higher Education Administration. My current position at Northern Illinois University is in the department of Adult and Higher Education. I teach our introductory and student affairs courses and advise both master’s and doctoral students. In addition, I am the co-chair for our master’s preview weekend, a collaborative venture with my colleagues in Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I started attending the Professional Preparation Commission in 2004 and started volunteering the following year. I have served the last two years on the directorate as an appointee to an unfilled term. My primary responsibility has been the Syllabus Clearinghouse when it went to an electronic format. In addition, I have been a program reviewer and coordinated the Commission table at the Convention Showcase.
3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
At the beginning of my career I was on the directorate and the commission chair for then Commission II (Admissions and Orientation). I am currently on the ACPA Books and Media Board. Although ACPA has been my association of choice, I have also been a member of NODA, ACPA, and AERA. I am also the secretary for the ASHE Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs.
4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I believe that is very important for faculty in Higher Education/Student Affairs preparation programs to be involved in the practitioner organizations. As a faculty member, I need to stay connected to the issues of student affairs practitioners so that I can better prepare our students for a successful career. To that end, I attend ACPA sessions on a variety of topics. I want to make connections between the practice and education for both my students and the larger organization of ACPA. In addition, I value the interaction with my colleagues — our conversations and Professional Preparation sponsored programs help me to improve my practice of teaching and research. Serving on the Commission allows me to contribute to the connection between practice and education within the context of ACPA, create new partnerships, and further my own development. I look forward to continuing to serve the membership of ACPA and the Professional Preparation Commission.
5. Do you have other major involvements in ACPA or other associations that will prevent your participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention?
I am on the Books & Media board, so there is a small overlap in the late afternoon.
[Back to the top]
Name: Merril A. Simon, Ph.D.
Title: Professor and Graduate Coordinator
Institution: California State University, Northridge
Full-time faculty in a higher education/student affairs graduate program
1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
I am a professor and coordinate a CACREP-accredited college counseling/student affairs program where I have been a full-time faculty member for 11 years (after 10 years as a lecturer). I am a nationally certified counselor and am working toward our new license in clinical counseling. I have practitioner experience as a career counselor (and am a NCCC and was an MCC) and academic counselor in colleges and universities for over a decade. My research is in the area of successful psychosocial transition to college, particularly in the areas of mattering (vs. marginality) and career indecision.
2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
Attended 2009 commission meeting in Boston as a guest. Read and post to CESNET and CSPTALK (though not as prodigiously as Aaron!)
3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
- Program chair, 2000-2001, International Career Development Conference (and other roles within the conference for a decade period
- President, Treasurer, and Member, Registry for Professional Counselors (CA) (1998-Dec. 2010)
- Board Member-at-Large (2006-present) and Assistant Treasurer, California Coalition for Counselors Licensure in California
- Regular presenter at ACPA or ACA and/or counselor education conferences
4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
As a prof. prep. faculty member, my primary peer group is through CSPTalk and CESNET, with little opportunity to discuss issues of concern. I think in this day of greater accountability we need to discuss assessment (and potentially accreditation) of our graduate programs. I want to support the continued academic rigor of our graduate departments combined with meaningful and intentional practitioner experience and would like to do so in a collaborative manner with peers in the field.
5. Do you have other major involvements in ACPA or other associations that will prevent your participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention?
No, I do not have major involvements in ACPA or other associations that would preclude my participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention.
[Back to the top]
Name: Deborah Worley
Title: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of North Dakota
Full-time faculty in a higher education/student affairs graduate program
1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
I am currently in my third year as an Assistant Professor in the Higher Education Program, Department of Educational Leadership, at the University of North Dakota. I work with master ’ s and doctoral (Ed.D. and Ph.D.) students who are pursuing careers in higher education and student affairs. I teach a variety of graduate-level courses including Collegiate Environments, The College Student, Higher Education Student and Support Services, Staff and Program Evaluation, History of U.S. Higher Education, and Internship in Educational Leadership (Higher Education emphasis). In addition to teaching, I direct doctoral dissertations as well as master’s-level scholarly projects and independent studies. My professional background includes a combined six years of student affairs work experience at Cornell University (Engineering Co-op & Career Services, 1999-2003) and Bowling Green State University (Career Center, 2003-2005). I hold a B.A. in Romance Languages from the University of Georgia, a M.S. in College Student Personnel from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Ph.D. in Higher Educational Administration from the University of Mississippi.
2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have been a member of the Professional Preparation Commission for two years. Last year I served the Commission by reviewing graduate student entries for the Roberta Christie Essay Award. This year, I am the co-recipient of the CPP Faculty Research Grant.
3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
My involvement with ACPA began as a graduate student member. I maintained my membership throughout most of my years as a student affairs administrator and continue to do so as a graduate preparation program faculty member. Most recently, I volunteered to review general program proposals for the last two ACPA annual conventions. I have served other organizations in a similar capacity by reviewing conference proposals for the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). For AERA, I also served on the Division J Exemplary Research Award committee (2007, 2008) and co-presented at the Emerging Scholars Workshop in 2010.
4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
For over ten years, my professional work experiences and scholarly activities have centered on understanding career pathways and post-college outcomes for college students. As a faculty member in an emerging and growing higher education program, I am particularly interested in knowing how graduate preparation programs can best prepare new student affairs professionals for entry into the workplace. I am currently working on a study, with support from a Professional Preparation Commission Faculty Research Grant, that examines the core competencies sought by colleges and universities when hiring for entry-level professional positions in student affairs functional units.
As I reflect on my current involvement in professional organizations, I find that my interest in developing and supporting new student affairs professionals most closely aligns with ACPA and, in particular, the Professional Preparation Commission. If elected to the Directorate, I will contribute the insights of an early career faculty member in an emerging higher education program. Our masters program is growing in the number of students enrolled, their undergraduate academic programs, and career aspirations. Further, many of our doctoral students are committed to practitioner careers in rural colleges and universities. It is my hope to bring this perspective to the Directorate while supporting cooperation and coordination within student affairs as a profession — all in the interest of aiding graduates in the transition to the world of work.
5. Do you have other major involvements in ACPA or other associations that will prevent your participation in the annual directorate meeting on Sunday at convention?
No.
[Back to the top]
|
