MAHEA Archives | UofL Online Programs

Higher Ed Administration Spotlight: Research by Dr. Meghan Pifer

By Ashley Jefferson | August 6, 2018

At its core, higher education is primarily focused on the growth and development of students. However, students are not the only ones to learn or to grow—nor should they be.

Continuous faculty development is an integral part of any successful institution. In fact, in today’s higher education environment, developing and enhancing learning and teaching methods is more important than ever. To that end, studies are conducted and distributed regularly to help foster more effective instructors.

Published in November 2017 and written in part by University of Louisville professor Dr. Meghan Pifer, “Developing Faculty in Liberal Arts Colleges: Aligning Individual Needs and Organizational Goals,” is a great example of such a study.

Dr. Pifer’s research covers everything from finding mentors to how entry-level faculty make the transition from sitting in the classroom to standing in front of the class. The study is based on faculty career development data across 13 institutions and the result is a compelling proposal for the faculty development in liberal arts colleges—both for the benefit of the professors and the institutions, and also the students they serve.

Who is Dr. Meghan Pifer?

Currently a professor with the University of Louisville’s School of Education and Human Development, Dr. Pifer has an extensive research background immersed in studying how individuality and work partnerships intersect and impact outcomes for each member of the team as well as the trajectory of an organization as a whole.

The publication of this book is a notable step in Dr. Pifer’s research career, and we look forward to seeing her continued positive impact on higher education.

Dr. Pifer’s ongoing contribution to the field of higher education makes her a valued member of the UofL team. Not only has she been a faculty member for the online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration (MAHEA) program since 2016, Dr. Pifer also teaches for the traditional program and serves as the Senior Assistant Director for the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development.

About the Online MAHEA Program

The online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration program is largely oriented toward addressing challenges of leadership and administration within contemporary higher education, with concentrations in Administration, Teaching & Learning, Policy and Equity or Sports Administration.

The MAHEA program is part of a growing portfolio of Online Learning degrees and certificate opportunities. As a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the intellectual, cultural and economic development of our diverse community of learners, the Online Learning programs deliver a long tradition of excellence—epitomizing the University of Louisville’s dedication to lifelong learning for both students and faculty.

Guest Post: Perspective from a Masters in Higher Ed Student

By admin | May 26, 2016

As a first generation college student, going to college was never a “given.” When I graduated high school, I began working full-time, just as everyone else in my family did. After working for several years, I realized that my family’s path was not my path, and that I wanted to further my education. So at the age of 25, I enrolled in classes comprised mostly of 18-year-olds. While this experience was terrifying in many ways, it made me realize how important education was to me, and it ultimately motivated me to continue on to graduate school after completing my bachelor’s degree in English.

After finishing a master’s in English, I found myself in a job that I was not fully satisfied with. I wanted to advance my career, but I needed to continue to work full-time. The University of Louisville’s Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration (MAHEA) program was the perfect fit for both of my needs. All of the jobs that I wanted to apply for required this degree, and the ability to take it online allowed me to juggle graduate school with a full-time job. Since enrolling, I have moved into a position that better suits my interests, and I know that my career prospects will only continue to grow from here.

Having completed a “traditional” face-to-face master’s degree, I was curious about the differences that I would experience with the online format – would the classes be more challenging? Less challenging? Would I really be able to engage with my classmates and professors? Fortunately, all of my fears were dispelled during my first semester in UofL’s online MAHEA program. I have found the coursework to be rigorous, the professors to be responsive, and my classmates to be both diverse and inspiring.

One of my favorite aspects of the MAHEA program is that I can tailor the coursework to my goals and work environment and apply it to real-world scenarios. Each course has a culminating assignment, and for most of the classes, it is possible to focus this project on my specific area of interest. For example, I am interested in tutoring services, so for my final project for the Research Methodology course, I designed a writing-center-specific research study. Similarly, for the History of the American University’s final project, I researched an artifact I selected from the earliest American writing centers.

The quality of the courses is due in large part to the applied expertise and dedication of the professors who teach them. They are the same professors that teach on campus, and they put forth the extra effort to make sure the virtual environment feels as much like a community as a traditional classroom does. Many of the professors provide weekly feedback on discussion board posts, and they are all very happy to answer questions via email. While online classes are certainly more self-taught than traditional classes, I know there is always someone that I can reach out to for guidance and assistance if I need it.

Weekly discussion board posts also help me connect and stay engaged with my classmates, and making these connections has been the most surprising benefit of the online program. When I was considering enrolling, I only thought about the courses and the professors–not who would be learning in these courses with me. Yet, because the classes are so diverse–and include people of widely different professional and academic backgrounds from all over the country–the weekly conversations are rich and complex and aid significantly in my overall understanding of the material.

Ultimately, the online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration has helped me grow both professionally and personally. I have enjoyed the program so much, that I am planning on applying for the PhD in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development after I graduate in 2017. Although I am not yet sure what position I will end up in when I finish the PhD, I know that the MAHEA program has given me the foundation necessary to pursue a wide variety of career paths. If you are looking for a way to advance (or start) your career in higher ed, I can’t recommend this program strongly enough.

A prestigious award for Dr. Jacob Gross’ outstanding work!

By admin | September 1, 2015

Dr. Jacob Gross, assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development, Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development (ELEOD) at the University of Louisville, has received the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award and was recognized with this honor at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ (NASFAA) annual conference awards ceremony. This award is given annually to exceptional scholars for their significant contributions to literature on student financial aid.

Dr. Gross is the most junior faculty to receive this award joining top scholars, who have been previously honored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), such as Will Doyle at Vanderbilt, Laura Perna at UofPenn, and Bridget Terry Long at Harvard.

Dr. Gross’ expertise and research areas include educational attainment of
underrepresented groups; postsecondary access and student success; policy analysis; financial aid; interplay between state and institutional postsecondary policy; and social theory.

Dr. Gross has served as the Editor for the Journal of Student Financial Aid (JSFA) since 2011, and as a JSFA Editorial Board member from 2008 to 2011. During his time as Editor, he worked to move JSFA to a new journal management system, built an Editorial Board comprised of both researchers and practitioners for a more balanced review process, and actively recruited research that is both practitioner-relevant and of the highest scholarship.

Dr. Gross has contributed greatly to the field of student financial aid with multiple research studies and articles focused on postsecondary access and student success; policy analysis; and financial aid published in other highly respected research journals including: Journal of Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, and NASFAA’s Journal of Student Financial Aid, as well as several book chapters focused on multiple aspects of student financial aid.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Gross said “I am honored and humbled by this recognition. As a former Pell Grant recipient and someone who believes deeply that access to higher education is a human right, I want to thank NASFAA for serving as a tireless advocate for equity and access. As a researcher who has never worked in financial aid, I want to say thank you for being the kind of organization where I feel comfortable, at home, and where I never feel bad about asking questions.”

The Golden Quill Award is the most recent of Dr. Gross’ honors, which include similar recognitions from:

ASHE/Lumina Dissertation Fellowship, 2008-2009
Spencer Foundation/Indiana University Discipline-Based Scholarship in Education Associateship, August 2006 – May 2008
AIR/NCES Graduate Fellowship Recipient, 2007-2008
AIR/NCES/NSF National Summer Data Policy Institute Fellow, June 2005
Poynter Center/NSF Graduate Research Ethics Education in Social Sciences Fellow, June 2005

About this award: The Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award is typically presented each year to an individual or individuals chosen for their contributions to the field of higher education services and specifically the literature on student financial aid.

The award is named in honor of Bob Huff, former director of financial aid at Stanford University, an outstanding contributor to the scholarly literature on student aid. Bob received the first Golden Quill Award in 1984.

Nominees for the award are judged on the basis of published work which exemplifies the highest quality of research methodology, analysis, or topical writing on the subject of student financial aid or its administration.

About NASFAA: NASFAA’s mission is to provide professional development for financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies that increase student access and success; serves as a forum on student financial aid issues, and is committed to diversity throughout all activities.

NASFAA has nearly 20,000 members, student financial assistance professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every ten undergraduates in the U.S.

About CEHD: The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Louisville is focused on providing excellent service, resources and tools for success for all students, in the classroom and in their profession. CEHD offers a variety of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels that have gained a strong national reputation for their high quality and rigorous curriculum. Programs are delivered face-to-face as well as fully online or through a combination of the two learning methods. To see the online programs offered at UofL, visit http://louisville.edu/online.

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