William & Mary Higher Education Program

03/29/2024

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Terry Fassanella for successfully defending his dissertation this afternoon. His study is “Motivations for Student Affairs Professionals Accepting an Interim Role During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Study." Terry is pictured here with his dissertation committee Drs. Pamela Eddy (chair), Ginger Ambler, and Jim Barber, after ringing the SOE Bell three times. Well done, Dr. Fassanella!

03/27/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Byron W. Lewis on his doctoral dissertation defense today. The title of his study is "University Brand and the Choice of a College: Understanding the Consumer Decision Framework." Byron's dissertation committee is Drs. Jim Barber (chair), Jeff Papa, and Megan Tschannen-Moran. Byron will have an opportunity to ring the SOE Bell later this spring during graduation activities. Well done, Dr. Lewis!

03/26/2024

Please congratulate Dr. Ashley Farrington! She successfully defended her dissertation last week. Dr. Farrington's study is “The Art of Listening: A Phenomenological Case Study Exploring the Lived Experiences of Alumni Donors at a Private Graduate School." Ash is pictured here with her dissertation committee Drs. Peggie Constantino (chair), Patty Purish O'Neill, and Jim Barber. Dr. Farrington rang the SOE Bell so loud it was heard on the West Coast!

03/26/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Lindsay Blount on defending her doctoral dissertation last week. The title of her study is “Integrating Wellness with Professional Skills in the Liminal Spaces of the Military-to-Civilian Transition Experience: A Program Evaluation." Lindsay is shown here after ringing the SOE Bell to announce her successful defense. Her dissertation committee included Drs. Peggie Constantino (chair), Jim Barber, and Steve Constantino (not pictured). Well done, Dr. Blount!

03/26/2024

Today marks the 11th One Tribe One Day and is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the W&M Higher Education Program! There are several ways to support the program - you can use the link below to donate or select one of the fund codes below. The higher education fund codes are included to make it easy to donate in the ways that are most meaningful to you.

https://otod.wm.edu

Higher Education Program Fund (4015)
Higher Education Travel Fund (3569)
Finnegan-Parker Higher Education International Research Award (3666)
Professor John Thelin Higher Education Research Award (2857)
Friedmann Higher Education Program Endowment (3413)
David W. Leslie Research Award (3197)

Your donations make a difference for the program and directly support students!

Every gift makes a difference and enables William & Mary to provide the dependable resources needed to meet our most pressing needs, remain nimble and flexible and invest strategically in emerging opportunities.

03/25/2024

Congrats to Dr. Trici Fredrick Rudalf on her successful dissertation defense this afternoon. The title of her study is "Student Perceptions of On-Campus Employment: Opportunities for High-Impact Practices." Trici is pictured here with her dissertation committee after ringing the golden SOE Bell three times. Her dissertation committee included Drs. Jim Barber (chair), Tracy Cross, and Stephanie Dupaul (University of Richmond). Well done, Dr. Rudalf!

03/25/2024

Please congratulate Dr. Alana Davis on her successful dissertation defense this morning. Her study is titled “Selected Faculty Members' Perceptions of Parental Involvement in the Lives of Students at a Private, Baccalaureate Institution." Alana’s dissertation committee included Drs. Jim Barber (chair), Pamela Eddy, and Judi Harris. Alana is seen here with her committee after ringing the SOE Bell three times. Well done, Dr. Davis!

03/07/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Allen for defending her doctoral dissertation today. The title of her study is “When They Say ‘Queer,’ They Don’t Mean You”: A Foucauldian-Informed Thematic Discourse Analysis of Bisexual+ Emerging Adults’ Use of Fiction-Based Parasocial Relationships During Sexual Identity Construction. Melissa’s dissertation committee included Drs. Erica Wiborg (chair), Jim Barber, and Amanda Simpfenderfer. The rain finally stopped in Williamsburg for her celebration of a successful dissertation defense! Congrats Dr. Allen!

03/01/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Shené V. Owens for defending her doctoral dissertation this morning. The title of her study is "The Relationship Among Race, Sense of Belonging, and the Experiences of Selected Black Students at a Predominately White Institution." Shené's dissertation committee is Jim Barber (chair), Erica Wiborg, and Vernon Hurte (not pictured). The sun was shining as she rang the SOE Bell three times to announce to the world her successful defense. Well done, Dr. Owens!

02/22/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Joe Wheeless IV on a successful dissertation defense yesterday. Joe is pictured here with his dissertation committee after ringing the famed SOE Bell three times. The title of his study is "The Impact of the North Carolina Promise on Student Loan Outcomes." Joe's dissertation committee is Jim Barber (chair), Rob Knoeppel, and Tom Ward. Dr. Wheeless rang the bell loud enough to be heard at the W&M fraternity and sorority houses, over at VCU, and all the way to North Carolina. Well done!

07/26/2023

Congratulations to Dr. Carrie L. Cooper on her successful dissertation defense this afternoon. Her dissertation is titled "An Action Research Approach to Workplace Inclusivity for Operational Employees in Higher Education." Carrie's dissertation committee was Jim Barber (chair, pictured), Peggie Constantino, and ​Hironao Okahana (American Council on Education). Dr. Cooper rang the SOE Bell so loud you could hear it all the way at Swem Library!