Commission for Professional Preparation Directorate Elections

Candidate Biographies

Tracy Davis | Laura A. Dean | John Dugan | Karen Haley | Aaron W. Hughey | Rick C. Jakeman | Dawn R. Johnson | Joseph Murray | Karen A. Myers | Thomas C. Segar | Tricia Seifert | C. Carney Strange | Donna Talbot

Name: Tracy Davis
Title: Professor and CSP Program Coordinator
Institution: Western 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 received my Ph.D. in Student Development in Postsecondary Education from The University of Iowa in 1997. I have since served professionally as Assistant Director of Campus Programs and as both an instructor and summer program coordinator
for the Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. For the last 10 years I have been Program Coordinator and Professor in the College Student Personnel (CSP) Program at Western Illinois University (WIU). While the WIU CSP program is master’s only, I have had the opportunity to serve on doctoral dissertation committees at the University of Arizona, University of Maryland and The University of Iowa.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have only attended meetings of the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission due to my intensive service involvement in other ACPA committees.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have served on the ACPA Executive Committee, as the Chair for the Standing Committee for Men, on the Directorate of the Standing Committee for Men for the past 12 years, as an Emerging Scholar, two terms on the Journal of College Student
Development Editorial Board, and am currently serving on the planning committee for the ACPA Next Generation Conference. I have also served on the NASPA Men’s Knowledge Community directorate.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I wish to serve on the directorate of this Commission for two reasons. First, the directorate I have been serving on over the last decade is finally on stable ground (which was not the case when I initially joined) and I am looking for new challenges and ways to serve my communities. Second, I believe the issues the Professional Preparation Commission handles are important to the health of our profession and I believe my experience and voice can assist us in addressing them.

Name: Laura A. Dean
Title: Assistant Professor, College Student Affairs Administration
Institution: University of Georgia
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.
The focus of my career has been in education, beginning as a high school teacher before working in college admissions and then going to graduate school. I earned my M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Counseling/Student Development in Higher Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where I later also served as an adjunct instructor for graduate courses. I am now in my third year as a graduate preparation program faculty member, after working nearly 20 years as a student affairs practitioner. I spent my career working in small colleges, and I have experience in multiple functional areas, including counseling, student activities, orientation, and residence life. I served as a senior student affairs officer for ten years and had the opportunity to gain an administrative perspective, develop professional staff, take responsibility for division-wide assessment, and advocate for students across the institution. The opportunity to work now as a part of a graduate preparation program faculty has challenged me to translate the realities of work in the field into curriculum, supervision, mentoring, and research to benefit our future professionals. I am also active with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), and through that organization have a different opportunity to work with others to focus on quality assurance, assessment, learning outcomes, and standards of practice.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
My only involvement to date has been attendance at meetings and sponsored programs. I was a participant in the Faculty Summit at the Joint Conference and found the experience to be extremely positive and helpful.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
Because I started my career as a college counselor, my primary professional involvement has been with the American College Counseling Association, for which I am a past president and serve as the representative to CAS. I am extremely involved in CAS, having been on the board for over ten years. I currently serve as a member at large on the Executive Committee and as Publications Editor. My involvement in ACPA has been through attending and presenting at conferences and attending directorate open meetings. Now that I am a graduate faculty member, I hope to increase my involvement in ACPA.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
The future of our field is dependent on the strength, quality, and vision of our future professionals, and it is the role of preparation program faculty members to create environments to help them learn and develop into the next generation of leaders. The Professional Preparation Commission plays an important role in creating opportunities for faculty members to interact, in developing resources to enhance curricula and teaching, and in having a voice in the issues facing the association and the field. I believe that my background as a small college practitioner gives me a useful perspective on the needs of new professionals in those settings, and my work with CAS gives me a broad understanding of current issues across functional areas. Those perspectives would allow me to contribute uniquely to the work of the commission, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with other faculty members to support the work of our colleagues and ultimately to benefit our students.

Name: John Dugan
Title: Assistant Professor, Higher Education
Institution: Loyola University Chicago-
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 completed my undergraduate degree at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH, in communications and Spanish. Both my master’s degree and Ph.D. are from the University of Maryland, College Park. I have full-time professional work experiences in the area of leadership development at both the University of Nevada Las Vegas and the University of Maryland. I also worked as a graduate assistant for the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs. I am currently in my second year as a full-time, tenure track faculty member in the Higher Education program at Loyola University Chicago. I teach both masters and doctoral degree students and my portfolio of courses includes: Student Development Theory, Leadership in Higher Education, and Multiculturalism for Social Justice.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
This would be my first formal experience with the Professional Preparation Commission.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have been a member of ACPA for about 10 years. I was previously involved in the Commission for Student Involvement where I served as a member of the directorate and a term as the vice-chair for publications. As part of my involvement with the commission I revamped Interchange, the group’s quarterly publication, reviewed proposals for research grants, and reviewed program submissions for the annual conference.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
An opportunity to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission would provide an incredible platform to both serve the broader higher education community and connect in meaningful ways with colleagues. The commission serves as a direct
resource for faculty in terms of information sharing as well as leveraging our collective knowledge to shape the profession. My hope is to be a contributing part of this and assist in advancing the needs of our students entering the field as well as the profession itself.

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. While in the doctoral program at North Carolina State University, I had an assistantship in the department, which meant that I acted as informal advisor to many master’s and doctoral students. I also assisted department personnel in planning and conducting student orientation. After completing my degree, I taught as an adjunct assistant professor. I filled in for a faculty member on leave and was the advisor/faculty contact for the recruitment weekend activities, and I met with and advised many of the attendees.
My current position at Northern Illinois University is in the department of Adult and Higher Education. I teach and advise students, both master’s and doctoral students. I am the faculty member connected with the student affairs portion of our
program and am the departmental representative for our recruitment weekend planning and activities.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have attended the last 2 Commission meetings at the annual ACPA conference. During the first year I volunteered to review conference program proposals and work on the Syllabus Clearinghouse. I continue to review program proposals and am now the sole contact for the Clearinghouse.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
Early in my student affairs career I joined ACPA and NODA, and attended regional conferences. I worked with Commission II, Admissions and Orientation (as it was called then) on program review and the newsletter before taking on the role of Chair. I currently hold memberships in several national organizations (AERA, ASHE, NASPA), but find that I am most connected to the ACPA membership.

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 serving the membership if elected to the directorate of the Professional Preparation Commission.

Name: Aaron W. Hughey
Title: Professor/Student Affairs Program Coordinator
Institution: Western Kentucky 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 an EdD in Educational Administration (Higher Education emphasis) from Northern Illinois University (’88). I have an EdS in Student Personnel Services from Western Kentucky University (’83). I implemented the ‘new’ 48-hour master’s program in Student Affairs in Higher Education at Western Kentucky University in 1983 and served as coordinator of that program until 2004, when Dr. Tracy Lara became coordinator and I became department head of Counseling and Student Affairs at WKU. I returned to the faculty (and to my coordinator role) as of August 2008. I have taught graduate courses associated with the new (and previous) SPS program since 1988.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have served on the ACPA Professional Preparation Committee for several years.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have been active in ACPA, the Southern Association for College Student Affairs, the American Counseling Association, the Kentucky Counseling Association, and the College Personnel Association of Kentucky (I served as a member of the Executive Council for CPAK for three years). I presented or co-presented at ACPA and SACSA for the last several years.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I am very interested in exploring potential accreditation options for graduate preparation programs as I believe this will serve to strengthen their utility for our graduates. This past year, under the leadership of Dr. Lara, we demonstrated that the master’s degree program at WKU was CAS compliant (internal self-study/external review team). I was also department head when we achieved CACREP accreditation for our Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy programs. I have seen how this distinction has served to enhance the value of the credential for our graduates of those programs. I believe we need something similar for our graduate preparation programs and I will work toward that end if selected.

Name: Rick C. Jakeman
Title: Assistant Professor and Cohort Coordinator, Higher Education Administration
Institution: The George Washington 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.
Educational background: I hold a doctorate of education degree from the University of Arkansas in Higher Education Administration. My research interests include graduate student motivation and persistence, graduate program climate, and the
K-16 academic pipeline.
Professional background: I served as the director of leadership and volunteer development for seven years at Drury University, a liberal arts college in Springfield, Missouri. In this position, I was responsible for coordinating service-learning efforts for the University as well as coordinating an academic-based leadership development program for undergraduate students. I have also led several service-related study abroad experiences (to Greece and South Africa). Other professional experience includes academic advisor for undergraduate students, first year experience coordinator, residence life experience, themed-housing coordinator, and new student orientation. In the summer of 2008, I transitioned to a full-time faculty position at The George Washington University in the Higher Education Administration program.
Graduate Preparation Program experience: I currently serve as a faculty member and program coordinator for the Higher Education Administration program at GW. In this position, I recruit and advise graduate students, create the course sequence, plan co-curricular events, assess the core curriculum, and oversee the budgetary aspects of the doctoral program. My dissertation focused on the experience of students under the age of 30 completing doctoral degrees in the field of Higher Education Administration.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have not had any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission. I am fully aware of the CAS standards as well as ACPA's work with the ASK standards and the Student Affairs Certification initiative.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have presented conference sessions at ASHE, NASPA, ATE, MoCPA, NISOD, and SACSA. I also completed the NASPA New Professionals Institute as well as served as a program reviewer for the NASPA/ACPA Joint Conference.
A full listing of conference sessions include:

• Connecting the High School Experience to College Success: A Call for Collaboration. Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). Jacksonville, FL. November 2008.
• Will I ever graduate from high school? Is college for me? I can’t do that!: Mending the Academic Pipeline. (with L. Sartin) Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). Washington, DC. August 2008.
• Effective Partnerships with the Yale University’s School Development Program (SDP). (with A. Levett & L. Sartin)
  Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). New Orleans, Louisiana. February 2008.
• Can You Hear Me Now? Issues of Students Under 30 in Higher Education Doctoral Programs. (with B. Keeney) Association
  for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). Louisville, Kentucky. November 2007.
• Bridging Successful Business Practices with Student Affairs. (with M. Maddux) Missouri Association of College Personnel (MoCPA). Lake Ozark, Missouri. September 2007.
  
• Blending Generation X and Millennial students in the Classroom. (with M. Strecker) National Institution of Staffing and Organizational Development (NISOD). Austin, Texas. May 2005.
  
• The U.S. Supreme Court on Affirmative Action: What Were They Thinking? (with R. Hall) Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SASCA). Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. November 2003.
  
• Successful Community Collaborations — Together We Can Do More! (with E. Shy) Developing Success for Youth Conference
  (DSY). Springfield, Missouri. October 2003.
  
• Educational Services for the Global Community: Drury University Redefines Student Services. (with D. Schmoll) NASPA Regional IV West Conference. Kansas City, Missouri. November 2002.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I entered the field of higher education to make a difference. As a young scholar-practitioner, I am just beginning my journey towards this end. Having worked "in the trenches" of Student Affairs for seven years grounds my work with future Student Affairs administrators today. Three objectives that I stress to students is to 1) commit to the belief that Student Affairs administrators bring just as much, if not more, to the academic table as our peers from Academic Affairs, 2) purposefully seek to develop personal leadership competencies that focus on relationship development, systemic change, and global values, and, finally, to 3) think creatively about the work we do with students. I see a direct connection between my impetus towards holistic student development and the work of the Professional Preparation Commission. I trust that not only will I add to the discussions of the commission (and hard work!) but will also learn from my colleagues on the national scale.

Name: Dawn R. Johnson
Title: Assistant Professor
Institution: Syracuse 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 doctorate in counseling and personnel services from the University of Maryland. I am in my second year as a full-time faculty member in the Higher Education program at Syracuse University. I spent 12 years in student affairs practice, including working as a director of minority student affairs and associate director of admissions. I also worked in academic advising and a living-learning program during my years as a doctoral student.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have been a member of the Commission for about a year and served as a reviewer for the Research and Writing Awards committee. I have also attended Commission meetings during the ACPA Conventions.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I was a member of the directorate for the Standing Committee for Women from 2000-2002. I have also presented at numerous ACPA conventions and reviewed program proposals.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I am interested in serving on the Commission because I want to contribute to ACPA, advocate for the concerns of graduate students as it relates to their professional preparation and educational needs, and understand and represent the concerns of faculty, particularly those who are new to their positions.

Name: Joseph Murray
Title: Associate Professor of Education
Institution: Bucknell 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.
Education: Ph.D., Michigan State University (College & University Administration); M.Ed., Ohio University (Student Personnel Services); B.A./B.S., Quincy College (Sociology, Social Work, Special Education).
Faculty Experience: Director, College Student Personnel Graduate Program, Bucknell University (2004 - present); Associate Professor of Education, Bucknell University (2001 – present); Assistant Professor of Education, Bucknell University (1994-2001).
Student Affairs Experience: Deputy Director of Placement & Student Services, Thomas M. Cooley Law School (1991-1994); Staff Advisor, Michigan State University (1987-1991); Campus Life Coordinator, Saint Martin’s College (1985-1987); Residence Hall Director, Saint Martin’s College (1984-1985); Graduate Associate, Ohio University (1983-1984).

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have not held a leadership position on the Commission previously, though I have been a member for about 15 years and have participated in Commission-sponsored meetings during the annual conference.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have been a member of ACPA and NASPA for the past 24 years and I have been a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) for about eight years. I have conducted presentations at the national conferences of all three organizations and I have published articles in both the Journal of College Student Development and the NASPA Journal.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
As a faculty member who is affiliated with a master’s degree program at a small, private, and predominantly undergraduate institution, where I also teach undergraduate courses, I believe that I would bring a unique perspective to discussions of issues in the field. I have a first-hand understanding of the unique challenges facing students, faculty, and student affairs professionals within this particular segment of American higher education, and I would welcome the opportunity to share my perspective with colleagues on the Commission.

Name: Karen A. Myers
Title: Associate Professor, Higher Education Administration
Institution: Saint Louis 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.
Education
PhD, Higher Education Administration, Illinois State University
Masters of Arts, Communication, Western Illinois University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Theatre, Quincy University
Professional Background
Current Position (2005-present): Associate Professor, Higher Education Administration, Saint Louis University. Teach and mentor masters and doctoral students in Higher Education and Student Personnel Administration. Advise doctoral dissertations. Developed three new courses for our program.
Area of research: Focus on college students with disabilities regarding communication preferences, social norming of disability, emotional intelligence, and Universal Instructional Design. Revised Masters in Student Personnel Administration programs at Saint Louis University and Southeast Missouri State University utilizing CAS guidelines/standards.
College and university faculty member (full time and adjunct; graduate and undergraduate) for over 25 years.
Areas of teaching: Student Personnel Administration, Higher Education Administration, Student Development Theory, Curriculum, College Teaching, Disability in Higher Education and Society, Communication (public speaking, interpersonal, small group), First-year Experience, Leadership, Psychology (hardiness).
Colleges and Universities: Saint Louis University, University of California Irvine, Southeast Missouri State University, Western Illinois University, The Pennsylvania State University, Villanova University, Spoon River College, John Wood Community College
University academic/student affairs professional for 14 years including:
- Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Disability Services, University of California Irvine
- Director of New Student Programs (including First-year Experience, Transition programs, Academic Orientation, Enrollment Management), Southeast Missouri State University and Western Illinois University
- Director of Disability Services, Western Illinois University

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
Member of ACPA Professional Preparation Commission for four years. Presented research results at PPC annual business meetings (two years) regarding graduate students knowledge and perceptions of disability issues on campus and in their degree programs. Facilitated disability issues session for annual faculty meeting at ACPA/NASPA 2007 Joint Meeting. As Chair of the Standing Committee on Disability, collaborated with the PPC on infusing disability into the professional preparation
curriculum

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
- Member of ACPA for over 18 years
- Presented at ACPA annual conventions for 15+ plus years
- Member of ACPA Standing Committee on Disability, Standing Committee for Women, Professional Preparation Commission, and Assessment Commission
- ACPA 2007-2008 Governing Board, Director of External Relations
- ACPA 2005-2007 Executive Council, Director, Core Council for Outreach and Advocacy
- ACPA 2001-2005 Executive Council Member; Chair, Standing Committee on Disability
- ACPA 2003-2005 Executive Committee Member
- ACPA 2002-2003 Nominations and Elections Committee Member
- ACPA 2001, 2007, 2008 Convention Program Selection Committee
- ACPA 2000-2001 Standing Committee on Disability Publication Chair
- ACPA 1999 Convention Access Coordinator
- Member of NASPA for over 8 years
- Presented at NASPA conferences 3 years
- NASPA Mid-Level Institute participant
- Member Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) for 8+ years
- Presented at AHEAD conferences 5+ years

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
The ACPA Professional Preparation Commission is “committed to the recruitment, preparation and continuing education of student affairs professionals” (ACPA website), and I fervently support this mission. As a former student services professional and current fulltime tenure track faculty member in Higher Education Administration, I am now able to devote my career to educating, mentoring, and learning from graduate students in our professional preparation programs while contributing to the scholarship and research in our field. This is the most exciting time in my career and I look forward to collaborating with colleagues who feel the same way. I have experienced this energy and passion in members of the Professional Preparation Commission, and I would be honored to serve on its Directorate.
For the past seven years I have served on the ACPA Governing Board and Executive Council in various capacities (i.e., Director of External Relations, Director of the Core Council on Outreach and Advocacy, Chair of the Standing Committee on Disability). Each of these leadership roles has provided me with invaluable opportunities for learning, networking, and growth. As I begin the next phase of my ACPA career, I would like to devote my time and energy to the faculty who coordinate and teach in the nation’s graduate preparation programs and to the new and veteran professionals who are our students. I look forward to collaborating with PPC colleagues and partnering with ACPA constituents to support successful programs, create initiatives that meet the needs of our students and staff, provide recommendations for curriculum, and promote sustainable change in our profession.
Educating our future leaders is an exhilarating responsibility that I do not take lightly. I depend upon the knowledge, expertise, creativity, and energy of my colleagues to help me instill in our students the power to imagine and the courage to act. I believe that this is not only possible -- it is essential. And together we can make this happen. Thank you for your consideration and support.

Name: Thomas C. Segar
Title: Doctoral Student
Institution: University of Maryland, College Park
Aspiring faculty

1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation programs.
I am a fourth year, full-time, doctoral student in the College Student Personnel (CSP) Program at the University of Maryland, College Park. During the nine years before beginning doctoral studies I worked as a student affairs administrator in the areas of Residence Life, Multicultural Affairs, and Disability Services. I have co-taught one master’s level course for two semesters in the University of Maryland CSP Program and one master’s course in CSP at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. In addition, I have served two years as a CSP Program Graduate Assistant, one year as a Research Assistant, and one year as a doctoral fellow.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have had no previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I was a member of the ACPA Atlanta 2008 Convention Planning team and served as the Ancillary Programs Chair. I was one of three doctoral students who served on the literature review team of the ACPA Certification Task Force. The product of the team’s work was a document titled, ACPA Certification Taskforce Synthesis: A Professional Development Curriculum. I have also served as Secretary of the Mid-Atlantic Association of College and University Housing Officers.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
The Professional Preparation Commission serves a vital role in the future of student personnel work and all members of ACPA benefit directly and indirectly from its efforts. I have a passion for the preparation of student affairs professionals and strongly believe graduate preparation programs have a significant influence on our profession. As an aspiring faculty member and long time member of ACPA, I would like to make a contribution to the work of the Commission and share the responsibility of shaping the next generation of scholar-practitioners.

Name: Tricia Seifert
Title: Postdoctoral Research Scholar
Institution: University of Iowa
Part-time or adjunct faculty

1. Please describe your educational and professional background, including your experience working in graduate preparation
programs.
Currently, I am a postdoctoral research scholar in the Center for Research on Undergraduate Education at the University of Iowa. In this capacity, I oversee the day-to-day data management and analysis for the Wabash Study of Liberal Arts Education and supervise four doctoral students. My opportunity to supervise doctoral students has increased my interest in graduate preparation programs. I have found no better way to have conversations connecting theory to research and research to practice than in the crucible of a collaborative research project. My expectation is for all graduate students to see themselves as scholarly practitioners and practicing scholars.
I begin communicating this expectation of contributing to the scholarship of the field as early as in master’s students’ first semester. I have had the great opportunity to teach Introduction to Student Services to students in the University of Iowa’s Student Development Program and it is in this course where I first start the conversation about contributing to the literature and knowledge base of the field. Additionally, I use this course as a way for new graduate students to begin to develop a professional identity as well as a plan for developing competencies necessary for success in student affairs. Prior to my work at the University of Iowa, my experience includes working in functional areas such as Greek Life (at Oregon State University where I also completed my masters in College Student Services Administration) and Residential Life (at the College of Santa Fe and Brush Ranch, a boarding school for learning disabilities in Pecos, NM). My experience at smaller institutions has provided me with outstanding collateral job responsibilities in areas such as student activities and leadership programs. I intentionally bring my past job experience to bear in my conversations with graduate students. I think this is a useful pedagogy in that it models what Marcia Baxter Magolda refers to as “situating learning in the student’s experience.”

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
I have attended past commission meetings and look forward to reviewing grant proposals later this year.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
Within ACPA, I serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of College Student Development; am involved with the Commission on Assessment and Evaluation; and have reviewed conference proposals. Outside of ACPA, I have been involved with national, regional, and local organizations. I have reviewed proposals for the Association for the Study of Higher Education’s annual meeting. I have also served as the Graduate Student Representative for the Iowa Student Personnel Association, having initiated a graduate student mentor program during my tenure. I also served as the President of the Graduate Student Development Association at the University of Iowa.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I am passionate about educating graduate students to be intentional student affairs professionals who focus their efforts and energy on student learning. I believe the Professional Preparation Commission is the place within ACPA where faculty can share ideas, concerns, and pedagogies. Additionally, I believe the commission can serve as a critical voice for connecting research to practice in our graduate programs. I look forward to sharing my experience as both a research and practitioner in these ongoing conversations.

Name: C. Carney Strange
Title: Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs
Institution: Bowling Green 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.
After completing the doctorate at the University of Iowa in 1978 I have, for the past 30 years, taught in the higher education and student affairs graduate preparation program (master’s and doctoral students) at Bowling Green State University, focusing primarily on areas of student development, campus environments, and qualitative research methods.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
In the 1980s I served as a directorate member of this commission several terms, reviewed program proposals, and helped plan various institutes for faculty development. Over the years I have also been an active presenter of commission-sponsored programs at the national conference.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
Member of various task forces, several terms on JCSD editorial board, and most recently a Senior Scholar and Diamond Honoree. Also an active member of NASPA (Faculty Fellow, Pillar, and editorial board member) and the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS).

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
I believe I can bring a perspective of experience, creativity, and long-term commitment to the issues and deliberations of this commission. This commission served as my professional home as a new faculty member and I hope through my involvement. I can contribute that same invitation and help shape that same experience for the next generation of scholars and those interested in professional preparation.

Name: Donna Talbot
Title: Professor, Educational Leadership (HESA)
Institution: Western Michigan 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 received my Ed.S. from the University of Florida in 1987 in Counselor Education with an emphasis in College Student Development, and received my Ph.D. in 1992 from the University of Maryland-College Park in College Student Personnel Administration. Throughout my professional life, I have had experiences in Residence Life, Counseling and Career Services, Multicultural Affairs, and Judicial Affairs.
I have been a full-time, tenure track faculty member at WMU since 1992. While I have now been housed in two very different departments, I have always been primarily responsible for coordinating, teaching and advising student affairs master’s and doctoral students.

2. Please describe any previous involvement in the ACPA Professional Preparation Commission.
Since 1992 I have been formally or informally involved with PPC. In my formal roles, I have served as a directorate body member, Chaired PPC (1998-2000), facilitated the Quality Enhancement Task Force (1997-99), co-edited the Directory of CSP Programs with Mike Coomes, and served as the New Faculty Liaison.

3. Please describe any previous involvement in ACPA and other professional organizations.
I have been or am currently a member of ACA, ACES, AMCD, NASPA, NAWE, NACADA, MCPA, and NASPA IVE. I have presented at all of these organization’s conferences, especially NASPA and ACPA. I have held leadership roles and/or served on the journal editorial boards for MCPA, NASPA, and ACPA.

4. Why do you wish to serve on the Professional Preparation Commission?
PPC was one of the groups that helped prepare and guide me as a faculty member. I see this Commission as one of the primary forces for influencing graduate preparation in student affairs, and I wish to be part of that. As a more seasoned professor now, I feel that it is my responsibility to give back—to try to help provide some mentoring for newer faculty who are coming through the profession and looking to PPC for some support.