Georgetown University: Higher Education Administration Master's Program

Our last alumni spotlight of the academic year, before we break for summer, is Cameron Combs (he/him/his)! Cameron graduated from the program in 2022 and is now working at Morgan State University as an Academic Advisor for the School of Community Health and Policy!

"My favorite class was Multicultural Student Communities,” Cameron mentioned. He stated that the course really opened my eyes to the many other experiences and backgrounds that shape the higher education landscape. Cameron would also like to shout out Dr. Okolo, who he had in his first semester. “She instilled confidence in her students and was very personable. Something that I took away from her was being TRUE to YOU” he said.

Cameron has two pieces of advice for prospective and current students. First, Cameron wants to remind students to “have fun with their learning, and be comfortable with the uncomfortable!” His second piece of advice? Be sure to keep records of all the papers and assignments you do. “The work that I did in American Higher Education ended up helping me so much with preparing for my capstone,” he said. The topic of which was “A Study on Retention and Experiences of Black Males at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Predominantly White Institutions.” According to Cameron, the purpose of his qualitative study was to capture the experiences and connections of Black male students at HSIs, HBCUs, and PWIs. The study examined what influences Black male persistence and retention at a university in addition to whether or not the geographic (urban or rural designations) impacted their experiences.

Cameron is a proud HEA alumnus, and we thank him for engaging in this highlight!

The next HEA Hoya Highlight is current student Jarryd J. Delaney (he/him/his), who is in his third year, fifth semester of the program! This semester, Jarryd is in the class Global Higher Education with Dr. John Lucas. “It was so great to reflect on how globalization is impacting our education system and see how other countries operate their own systems,” he said about the course. “It was also important to learn about the challenges our own international students face in the United States.” Jarryd says his previous classes, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, in Higher Education, and Multicultural Student Communities were helpful in understanding the course content focusing on International Student belonging.

Jarryd would like to shout out our program director, Brittany Strong, and former professor Dr. Okolo. “At the start of this semester, I learned from Brittany that it is okay to put yourself, your own needs, and your well-being first … especially while working full time and going to grad school,” she said. “Being ‘okay’ with yourself is important to finishing the degree!” Jarryd would also like to thank Dr. Okolo for demonstrating the same example. “I had Dr. Okolo my first semester. One day, when I was worried about getting a midterm paper in on-time, she asked for my cell phone number, and called me from the airport to help calm my stress and nerves.” Jarryd says he will never forget that personal touch, especially as a first-generation student.

Jarryd encourages current students to look into an elective in the SIM program, Intercollegiate Athletics Administration. “I didn’t know how much I was going to learn in that class about how collegiate athletic departments work. We covered the gambit from student-athlete well-being, to athletic fundraising, to community college athletics, to NIL, to NCAA policy and more! We even worked with a mentor all semester long from another institution's athletic office.” Jarryd mentioned how, as an LGBTQ+ student himself, it was really impactful to research ways in which intercollegiate athletics is at the forefront of LGBTQ+ inclusion on campuses.

Our next HEA Highlight, and second alumni spotlight, is Alexis Green (she/her/hers), who graduated from the program in December 2023! Alexis, who also completed a certificate in Project Management at Georgetown, works as the Program Coordinator for Student Advising with the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP). GSP’s mission is to “work towards a more equitable college experience for first-generation and low-income college students. GSP students proudly hold a 94% graduation rate.”

Alexis champions the connections she has made through the HEA program. She encourages our current students (and alumni!) to “take advantage of the Georgetown network” the HEA program provides. “There are so many people in your corner,” she says. “They are rooting for you and always willing to help - just ask!” Alexis is happy to connect with anyone and invites you to find her on LinkedIn.

She also spoke highly of the professors in the program. “They were all such brilliant professors, experts in their field, and all-around amazing people,” she described. Alexis would like to give a “special shoutout” to Dr. Underwood, her capstone advisor, for keeping her “head on straight and being so supportive.” Her capstone research examined the unique experiences specific to Black and African American women pursuing degrees in computer science at predominately white institutions. Alexis sought ways in which STEM programs can “foster a greater sense of belonging” for Black and African American women in STEM.

This week, our HEA Hoya Highlight is Maddie O’Shea (she/her/hers) in her final semester of the program! Maddie, a resident of Washington, DC, but a West Coast native, works as a Graduate Assistant with the Georgetown Office of Student Conduct and is a member of the Appeals Hearing Board.

Maddie has enjoyed several classes as a student in the program, including American Higher Education, Ethics and Leadership, and Organization and Administration. Specifically, Maddie loved learning about general governing structure theory in higher education. “It's so useful to have those theories to help form my own schema of this new (to me!) professional field,” she says. Regarding a professor who has impacted her time in the program, Dr. Harnisch was at the top of her list. “Dr. Harnisch is the absolute best, hands down,” she said. “He's a deeply knowledgeable professional and a kind person who feels passionately about his students and university affairs.”

Maddie is preparing to write and complete her capstone this summer, focusing on the current state of male mental health across college campuses. After the program, Maddie may return to her beloved West Coast in an administrative position in the CSU or UC system.

If you know of any opportunities on the West Coast or want to follow along with her capstone, feel free to connect with Maddie on LinkedIn!

For this edition of our HEA Hoya Highlight series, we’d like to introduce Alli Heal (she/her/hers) as our first alumni spotlight! Currently the Associate Director of Career and Lifelong Learning with the Georgetown University Alumni Association, Alli graduated from the HEA master’s program in December 2023! Now an alumna, she encourages all alumni (and students) to see how you can get involved with your alumni association.

When reflecting on her time in the program, Alli says she “looks back fondly” on the classes Higher Education Policy and Enrollment Management .” Both classes were so insightful,” she says. “They taught me a lot about the current higher education landscape.” Enrollment Management was beneficial for her capstone research, which focused on investigating how legacy admissions practices at highly selective colleges and universities impact a school’s student body racial composition.

As an alumna, Alli knows how hard it can be to work full-time while working toward completing a master’s degree. She offers the following advice; “Take it one step, one class, and one semester at a time! The degree will get done, and soon you'll be looking back thinking, ‘I can't believe it's over!’, so enjoy it and don't stress yourself out too much.” We couldn’t agree more and want to remind all students about the resources available to you.

If you attend any alumni events, be sure to keep an eye out for Alli, and she invites you to connect on LinkedIn!

We are thrilled to introduce Amanda Reich (she/her/hers) as our first HEA Hoya Highlight! Currently in her fifth semester in the program, Amanda lives in Northern Virginia and is the Program Director for the SCS Sports Industry Management Program (SIM). Be sure to ask her about the Intercollegiate Athletic Administration class, a possible elective between the HEA and SIM programs! Amanda is halfway through the program and wishes to thank Dr. Kim and Dr. Pérez-Caro for their impact on her time so far. Amanda said, “Both professors inspired me to be a better version of myself when serving the campus community.”

You may recognize Amanda from a recent HEA event she organized, “Journeying Toward More Belonging in Higher Education,” which brought together the Georgetown community to discuss challenges toward DEIB work in higher education. It was a critical discussion, and we thank Amanda for her efforts.

Amanda states that her favorite class has been Ethics and Leadership in Higher Education. She says, “it challenged me to think about how senior administrators may face many pressures when making the most ethical decisions for their institutions.” Reflecting on what she learned, she found that “sometimes we must compromise to find the best solutions for the greater community.” Overall, she said, Ethics inspired her to bring the most good to the community she serves.

If you are around the SCS administrative offices, be sure to say “hello” to Amanda, and connect with her on LinkedIn.

For this week's Staff Spotlight Series, we would like to recognize and introduce our program director Brittany Strong!

Today is President's Day - No Classes will be held today.

The HEA Progam Team wishes you a Happy Lunar New Year!

Today is the last day to withdraw with an 80% Refund & "W" from full semester courses.

Learn about Monica Kessel's Capstone project focused on ways Georgetown can continue to strengthen its work helping disabled students feel more welcomed on campus!

Creating a More Welcoming Campus for Disabled Students Feb. 1, 2024 in Academics, Service, Students Tagged: Master's in Higher Education Administration A student shares about the process of making a tapestry about disabled joy at the Disability Cultural Center's ACDC: Art Celebrating Disability Culture at Riggs Library in October 2023. (Credit: Lisa Hel...

Today begins Black History Month

We wish all of our students who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Shana Tovah!

Happy 4th of July!

Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19th. The holiday's name combines the words "June" and "nineteenth." It commemorates the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation (and their subsequent freedom from chattel slavery) reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, three years after President Abraham Lincoln had issued the proclamation.

It is considered the longest-running holiday in African American and Black communities and was often observed with community celebrations on the third Saturday in June. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 after the U.S. Congress passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.

Remembering and honoring those who gave their lives while serving.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
Georgetown joins the nation in celebrating AAPI Heritage Month in May, honoring the legacies, accomplishments, and cultures of Pacific Islanders, East Asians, Southeast Asians, and South Asians in the United States. This month, in particular, we celebrate the many contributions of Georgetown’s AAPI community and highlight the teaching, scholarship, advocacy, and cultural enrichment efforts of our university community related to AAPI heritage.
We invite you to explore the “Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Cultures and Heritage at Georgetown” landing page and to join for university and D.C.-area events.

(https://www.georgetown.edu/celebrating-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-cultures-and-heritage-at-georgetown/)

Congratulations to these incredible Hoyas who embody the excellence of the Georgetown SCS community. Join us in celebrating the winners at The Tropaia ceremony on Wednesday, May 17, at 6:00 p.m. ET in Gaston Hall. RSVP by Wednesday, May 10.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Eid Al-Fitr

Happy Passover to all our who celebrate!

The holy month of Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a month of fasting, worship, service, communal gathering, and spiritual development. Fasting, even abstaining from drinking water, from sun up to sun down, during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Ramadan Mubarak to those who celebrate!

March 13 until April 15 is National Deaf History Month - deaf education history in the US goes back to the early 1800s. "True Biz" by Sara Nović is a recommended read to learn about the history of deaf and hard of hearing education in the United States.

*If you are a current student at Georgetown needing accommodations, please reach out to The Academic Resource Center (ARC) (https://academicsupport.georgetown.edu/)

from SCS!
What is Holi: Also known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is a popular Hindu holiday with a rich history, celebrated most commonly in India. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the changing of the seasons from winter to spring.

The festival of Purim commemorates the Divinely orchestrated salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants, and women, in a single day.” It is celebrated with Megillah readings, gifts of food, charity, feasting, and merriment.

Happy Purim to those who celebrate!

Friday, February 24, 2023 @ 5pm C1 Level - SCS
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Happy President's Day! There are no classes today. Classes will resume tomorrow and will follow a Monday schedule.