College of Education & Human Development
Higher Education Administration Texas A&M University
Welcome From Dr. Lincoln Texas A&M University and our college are possibly the best-kept secrets in the Southwest. A land-grant, seagrant (assigned to the Gulf of Mexico) and space-grant institution, where faculty, students and staff comprise a community of nearly 60,000 individuals, Texas A&M has a rightful place among the great land-grant universities in the lower Midwest. We are proud of our research, teaching and service accomplishments and particularly proud of the role the Higher Education Aministration program has served for the last half-century, preparing diverse individuals for high-profile, challenging and rewarding careers in higher education and community college administration throughout the U.S and internationally.
We are...particularly proud of the role the Higher Education Administration program has served...in preparing diverse individuals for high-profile, challenging and rewarding careers.
The higher education faculty welcome you to look into our program’s offerings, to consider the strengths of our faculty as well as their national and international standings in the discipline, and to visit with any of us to explore how your professional goals may be enhanced with our master’s and doctoral degree options.
Educating the Next Generation The Higher Education Administration program at Texas A&M University represents an extensive diversity among its faculty ranks and in faculty expertise, offering prospective students a rich educational experience. Our mission – to educate and mentor the next generation of higher education faculty and student affairs administrators and professionals – is strongly supported with an equally diverse cadre of students who represent over 20 countries.
In addition, the college and university demonstrate strong and attractive opportunities for students, with our college ranking 34th nationally in the U.S. News & World Report, a ranking which reflects a “good education at a decent cost.” Our university was ranked third in terms of “great schools, great price” and is the top-ranked institution in The Washington Monthly’s new college guide, which focuses on “tangible contributions to the public interest.”
We have sought to instill in our students the enormous sense of responsibility they must shoulder as they lead institutions undergoing rapid, dramatic change in the wake of globalization and the flattening of the world via technology. We encourage students to extend their community of scholars, both while in the graduate program and beyond. Not only are students encouraged to learn and practice new ideas, strategies and skills, but also to create long-term networks with one another and new colleagues.
We are justifiably proud of what we have to offer, and our program’s focus on diversity and social justice significantly contributes to the public interest. The Higher Education Administration program not only offers degrees that are rigorous and broad, but it offers an opportunity where excellence, the public interest and professional preparation merge with integrity and strength.
Our faculty possess unique strengths, including national and international recognition, renown training in qualitative research, and a profound commitment to diversity, internationalization and social justice. Our goal is to pass these strengths and opportunities on to our students, enabling them to move to the forefront of research, teaching and administrative excellence.
The Higher Education Administration program not only offers degrees that are rigorous and broad, but it offers an opportunity where excellence, the public interest and professional preparation merge with integrity and strength.
Degree Programs Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education Administration The 42-hour master’s program will enhance the students’ knowledge and skills so that they may enter a mid-level management position at the college level. There are six required courses with the remaining courses to be in the support field and specialization areas.
Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Education (M.Ed.) specialization in Student Affairs Administration (SAAHE) The student affairs profession evolved from the recognition that personal development and learning occurred not only in the classroom but in other phases of a student’s life. Student affairs supports the total, ongoing development of students intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially, culturally and vocationally.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Higher Education Administration Through an emphasis of integrating theory and practice, the doctoral degree will prepare students for leadership roles in higher education administration, teaching and research. With a concentration in a variety of areas, students will be able to achieve their personal goals. The 73-hour degree has several required courses with the remaining courses geared toward a support field in a related discipline.
The SAAHE specialization provides coursework and practica leading to a master of science or master of education degree in educational administration. The full-time SAAHE curriculum emphasizes an exciting blend of classroom learning with practical experience. In addition to coursework (42 credit hours) and two semesters of comprehensive practica (150 clock hours each), students are encouraged to apply for graduate assistantships in the Division of Student Affairs or in related areas. The program operates on a cohort basis, allowing approximately 15 full-time students to enter each fall and progress together throughout the entire program. Studying in the Higher Education Administration program has been an extremely fulfilling journey. I have had the good fortune of working with and being mentored by scholars who helped pioneer major fields of study in education. My professors inspire and encourage me to think more deeply and challenge me intellectually in ways that continue to allow me to grow into my greater possibilities.
Becky Petitt
Assistant Vice President, Vice President & Associate Provost For Diversity Texas A&M University
Diversity Fellows The Graduate Diversity Fellowships are awarded through a university-wide competition and are designed to encourage high-quality students to enroll for the first time in graduate programs at Texas A&M University. The fellowships were established to attract students to Texas A&M who have a proven record of success in a diverse environment. Students are selected based on overall merit and the fellowship provides funding for three years to pursue doctoral-level studies. More specifically, the fellowship package includes graduate assistantships, tuition and a monthly stipend.
Robert F. Kennedy once said, ‘The future is not a gift; it is an achievement. Every generation helps make its own future. This is the essential challenge of the present.’ This quote represents what it means to me to be a Diversity Fellow. Education is the means to create change in our current social structure. As a Diversity Fellow, my goal is to gain a greater insight into the various issues that plague our system of higher education and to create methods that modify the system to benefit all students.
Alonzo M. Flowers, III San Antonio, TX
In my role as a Diversity Fellow, I have had the opportunity to learn and hone my skills under the tutelage of some of the best higher education researchers in the field. Additional opportunities that have been afforded to me, even in my first semester as a fellow, have included attending, facilitating and presenting papers at two national, professional conferences. As a fellow, I hope to conduct research that ultimately has a substantial and positive impact on the field of judicial affairs in general and on campus safety in particular.
Lonnie Booker, Jr. Texarkana, TX
Diversity Fellows include (from left to right) Lonnie Booker, Jr., Alonzo Flowers, Rosa Banda and Ryan Beard
Higher education administration faculty include (front, left to right) Bryan Cole and Eddie Davis and (back, left to right) Fred Bonner, Kelli Peck Parrott, Robert Walker, Tito Guerrero, Vicente Lechuga, Christine Stanley and Yvonna Lincoln
Program Faculty “ The student affairs administration specialization uniquely marries research, theory and practice in the field of student affairs. Students study with top-notch faculty and then directly apply what they learn in assistantships in one of the most cutting-edge, comprehensive divisions of student affairs in the country.”
Kelli Peck Parrott
Clinical Assistant Professor, EAHR
“So much of the Higher Education Administration program is directly applicable to our students’ current work or immediate aspirations. My principal interest is equipping future leaders in the higher education enterprise to understand the influence of business and finance on decision-making in the academy.”
Eddie J. Davis
Professor, EAHR
“Higher education is transforming itself in numerous ways, and our program reflects these changes. Our faculty, through their teaching and research, provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully navigate the ever-changing world of academia.”
“Fundraising for higher education has always been an important topic, and that is why I teach this concept to my students. I have been in the fundraising business for 49 years and enjoy sharing my knowledge with others.”
Vicente M. Lechuga
Vice President for Development Professor, EAHR
“ Our program is privileged to have outstanding students that bring a wealth of experience and diversity to the learning environment. Their range of knowledge, skills and experiences brings a rich context for understanding, analyzing and addressing the critical issues facing higher education today.”
“ Our students are among the best in the country, and we have a productive, diverse and experienced faculty to mentor them toward their professional aspirations. Together, they have a commitment to professional excellence, integrity and justice.”
Assistant Professor, EAHR
Bryan R. Cole
Robert L. Walker
“ This is an exciting time to be in the Higher Education Administration program, as it represents a deep commitment to graduate education, research, teaching, social justice and meeting the needs of Texas and beyond. We are preparing future leaders, who will make an impact on society and the world!”
Christine A. Stanley
Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Professor, EAHR
“ What I find most exciting about our program is the solid commitment by our world-class faculty to develop an educational environment that encourages and fosters the development of culturally responsive, creative and transformative leaders. Together, our faculty and students engage in a unique alchemy, yielding critical contributions to the field of higher education.”
Fred A. Bonner, II
Associate Professor, EAHR
Yvonna S. Lincoln
Distinguished Professor, EAHR
Professor, EAHR
Texas A&M University, in accordance with applicable federal and state law, prohibits discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
larissa pchenitchnaia
jeremy morris
Texas A&M...a place where excellence mer Jeremy Morris might not have been an Aggie by birth, but as a native of Indiana, he got here as fast as he could. “The caliber of the Higher Education Administration program along with the dynamic faculty in the department are the two main reasons I chose to join the Texas A&M family,” Jeremy said. The caliber of the Higher Education Administration program along with the dynamic faculty in the department are the two main reasons I chose to join the Texas A&M family. The opportunity for a new experience at a new institution...wasn’t too bad either.
Larissa Pchenitchnaia’s academic career has been guided by Immanuel Kant’s belief that the goal of education is “to develop, in each individual, all the perfection of which he is capable.” A scholar with a passion for motivating students to become effective and efficient lifelong learners, Larissa earned both her doctorate and master’s in the Higher Education Administration program at Texas A&M University and completed certification programs in human resource development and college teaching. Before coming to Texas, however, she earned her bachelor’s in Russia. “The greatest lesson I learned through the Higher Education Administration program is to constantly work to improve my understanding of the teaching and learning process,” Larissa said. As the current curriculum renewal specialist with the Dwight Look College of Engineering, Larissa’s professional interests include faculty
“The opportunity for a new experience at a new institution over 1,100 miles away from home wasn’t too bad either,” he added. Jeremy, a current doctoral student in the Higher Education Administration program at Texas A&M, is interested in researching the African American and Latino student retention at predominantly white institutions in addition to issues of equity and access. With a passion for international student development and travel, Jeremy hopes to make a difference outside our borders as well. One of his current research projects titled Issues of Access: Elitist Higher Education in France and the Invisible Barriers of Social Exclusion for Students of African Origin will hope to start breaking down these social barriers for students of color. professional development, curriculum and instructional development, assessment of teaching practices and learning outcomes, and adult education and learning. “The knowledge and skills I gained during the program help me to coordinate the ongoing development of engineering curriculum and support the work of our faculty by enhancing their courses.” Larissa not only enthusiastically promotes and develops lifelong learning in her students, but she uses her love of learning to continue to grow in her own knowledge every day. The greatest lesson I learned through the Higher Education Administration program is to constantly work to improve my understanding of the teaching and learning process.
ges with integrity and strength
Texas A&M was the best place for me to be, and joining the Higher Education Administration program was the logical next step in my career.
“The Higher Education Administration program at Texas A&M gave me a realistic understanding of the way universities operate and the role of the professor on a practical level,” she said. “On an academic level, I was given a good start on what it means to be a good scholar.” Fran’s dissertation, Challenging Hegemony in Education: Specific Parrhesiastic Scholars, Care of the Self, and Relations of Power, received the Outstanding Dissertation Award at the 2007 American Educational Research Association conference from the Qualitative Research Special Interest Group. She earned her bachelor’s from Austin College, her master’s from Texas Christian University and currently lives in Fort Worth with her husband and dog. The Higher Education Administration program at Texas A&M gave me a… good start on what it means to be a good scholar.
fran huckaby
Fran Huckaby was already changing the world before she ever came to Texas A&M University. A Peace Corps volunteer in Papua New Guinea, Fran facilitated the development of the first primary schools and school boards in six villages. With a passion for understanding the assumptions about formal and implied knowledge and education formed by culture, context and current realities, Fran came to Texas A&M and earned her doctorate in higher education in 2005. “Institutions of higher education are places where people – faculty and students – are exploring and thinking,” she said. “It’s a place of ideas, old and new, and possibilities.” As an assistant professor in the College of Education at Texas Christian University since 2004, Fran encourages teachers, scholars and institutions to critically explore the processes, products and effects of knowledge on educational practices, students, educators and communities.
Kimberly has taken advantage of the many opportunities through the program to attend and present at professional national conferences and conduct research as a Diversity Fellow during her first three years. “I have been able to meet and work with several of the best and most respected professors, many of whom are well-known in their respective fields, and conduct research with and under the tutelage of many professors with diverse educational interests,” Kimberly said. She is expected to graduate in May 2008 and hopes to teach statistics in the social sciences at the collegiate level or spend some time in public school administration so that she has the experiences to teach administration in higher education.
kimberly dickerson
No one has a greater love for education than Kimberly Dickerson. After spending eight years as a middle school special education teacher in Seabrook, Texas, Kimberly came to Texas A&M University in 2004 to pursue her doctorate in higher education, focusing her research on special education student teachers and other P-16 concepts. “Texas A&M was the best place for me to be, and joining the Higher Education Administration program was the logical next step in my career,” she said.
Texas A&M
...one of the best-kept secrets in the Southwest About Texas A&M • Texas’ first public institution of higher learning, opened Oct. 4, 1876 • Ranks as the nation’s seventh-largest university with 45,380 students • Conducts research valued at over $500 million annually • Operates branch campuses in Galveston, the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, Mexico City and Castiglio Fiorentino, Italy • Houses the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which opened in 1997 and has attracted more than one million visitors • Ranks at the top in student retention and graduation rates • Has formal agreements for collaborative research and faculty/student exchanges with more than 130 institutions in 52 countries, with research programs on all continents • Ranks among the top U.S. universities in attracting international students, with over 3,500 from 130 countries currently enrolled
Campus Life • The College Station campus, one of America’s largest, spans 5,200 acres • Has over 800 student organizations, including academic, service, religious, Greek and common interest organizations • The Student Rec Center, a three-story facility of 373,000 square feet, includes exercise equipment, athletic courts, an indoor running track, a rock climbing tower, and one of the top competitive pools and diving wells in America • With over 280,000 former students, Texas A&M has one of the largest and most active alumni groups in America
College of Education & Human Development • Currently, there are 126 tenure/tenure-track faculty in the college, 33% of which come from a diverse background • Undergraduates total 4,164 and 1,306 graduate students make up our college, with our combined student enrollment up 2.2% from the previous year • New grant awards for this year total $13 million while grant expenditures total $16 million • The college has an endowment of $27 million, with 10 endowed chairs being held by faculty in the college. Among these is Yvonna Lincoln, who holds the Ruth Harrington Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership
What does it mean to be an Aggie? Since its beginning in 1876, Texas A&M University has developed a rich heritage of traditions that have helped to develop character, leadership, unity and public service in all its graduates. Aggie Spirit - binds current and former students in a unique camaraderie. Every Aggie is a self-appointed guardian of the Aggie spirit, and this respect for Aggie traditions and values is the university’s greatest strength. The 12th Man - a tradition born in 1922 when E. King Gill was called from the stands and stood ready to help his Aggie football team in the event he was needed. Known today as the 12th Man, the student body stands during the entire game waiting to be called upon if needed. Silver Taps - a unique silent campus memorial service held on the first Tuesday of each month for any student who passes away while enrolled at Texas A&M. Aggie Ring - a unique symbol worn by all Aggie graduates, the Aggie Ring is the same except for the class year and serves as a common link for former students everywhere. Corps of Cadets - as old as the University itself, the cadets consider themselves “Keepers of the Spirit” and “Guardians of Tradition.”
...changing lives and moving forward together
San Antonio The Research Valley The Bryan/College Station metropolitan area is located in the Research Valley, an area often referred to as “Aggieland” The current population of College Station and Bryan totals more than 137,215 Recently, Money Magazine named College Station the most educated city in Texas and the 11th most educated American city Aggieland is centrally located within 200 miles of three of the 10 largest U.S. cities College Station boasts over 250 restaurants serving over 22 different cuisines. The Brazos Valley offers six public golf courses and four private courses. Bryan ISD and College Station ISD are 5A districts that consist of several premier schools
Dallas
Things to See and Do
Galveston
Houston
Austin
Arctic Wolf Ice Center Benjamin Knox Gallery Brazos Valley African American Museum George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Historic Downtown Bryan J. Wayne Stark University Center Galleries Lake Bryan Messina Hof Winery and Resort Opera and Performing Arts Society The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley Wolf Pen Creek Park & Amphitheater
Resources http://www.visitaggieland.com/ http://www.tamu.edu/ http://www.bcschamber.org/ http://www.big12sports.com/ http://www.aggielandmenus.info/ http://www.festivalsoftexas.com/ http://www.easterwoodairport.com/ http://www.researchvalley.org/
Roadtrips Antique Rose Emporium Blue Bell Creameries Burton Cotton Gin & Museum Lake Somerville Martha’s Bloomers Star of the Republic Museum Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site
From Bryan/College Station to... Houston: 98 mi. Austin: 106 mi. Galveston: 147 mi. San Antonio: 168 mi. Dallas: 187 mi.
Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development Graduate Advising Office Clarice Fulton 979.862.4154 • cfulton@tamu.edu Joyce Nelson 979.847.9098 • jnelson@tamu.edu http://eahr.tamu.edu