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Teaching

My teaching philosophy is simple and based on a fundamental belief that anyone who is interested in learning can learn and thrive when provided with a supportive, engaging, and validating educational experience.  I believe strongly in meeting students where they are. This philosophy is deeply personal and was formed in large part by the professors who met me where I was while in college and graduate school. My favorite part of being a professor is working and learning with talented graduate student colleagues. My areas of specialization and research directly inform the types of courses I design and teach.  My teaching interests can be organized into three broad categories: (1) college students, (2) research methods, and (3) higher education policy, finance, and governance. 

Teaching Interests

College Students

My research agenda is largely focused on college student persistence and success. College student success is the central mission of every college and university.  As a result, no matter what professional role higher education graduate students are preparing for, they need to understand who today’s college students are and the barriers to their success. This means understanding who has access to college (and who does not); how institutions can meaningfully engage diverse student populations; the barriers to retention, persistence, transfer, and completion; and how colleges and universities can transform to better serve students and reduce equity gaps.

Research Methods

I am particularly passionate about teaching research design and quantitative methods. For many graduate students in higher education, courses in educational and social science research design and methods are a new experience.  These courses are vitally important for master’s and doctoral students. For master’s students, they help facilitate the transition from an undergraduate to a graduate education mindset. For doctoral students, these courses are especially important, as they provide the tools needed to make an original contribution to knowledge through their dissertation work.  I enjoy helping students understand how a particular method works, when it is appropriate to apply it to a given question, and how to prepare, clean, and analyze the data.

Policy, Finance, and Governance

Prior to joining Saint Louis University, I spent seven years working in higher education policy and governance at the American Council on Education in Washington, DC.  In this role, I regularly conducted analyses to support policy decisions that had direct impact on higher education institutions. Drawing from basic and applied literature in the economics, finance, and public policy, I teach classes that explore federal and state approaches to financing institutions and students; institutional planning, budgeting, and financial management; economic and political forces influencing higher education finance today; theories of the public policy process; and current issues in higher education policy.

Course Syllabi