PhD, 2013 Lauren Collier is the founder of The Friendship Project, where she serves as a professional coach. As the founder of The Friendship Project, Lauren combines research on social connection and relational health with her personal experience to address one of today’s most pressing challenges: meaningful friendship in modern life. In partnership with values aligned businesses and organizations, Lauren curates women's circles that transform local spaces into genuine community hubs. Previously, Lauren served as a senior consultant at Vantage Point Consultanting, where she managed higher education strategy. Lauren has also served the director of institution and board affairs for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the executive assistant to the president at Volunteer State Community College, and as the first executive director of South Carolina Campus Compact. She started the Center for Civic Engagement at the College of Charleston where she supported faculty, facilitated campus/community partnerships, developed co-curricular service programs, and taught in Women’s Studies and the First-Year Experience. She earned an MSW from the University of Alabama and a BS from Birmingham-Southern College. She has also worked in the non-profit sector and taught English in a college in Hungary. Scholarly interests include strategies and management of liberal arts colleges, student learning outcomes and community impacts of community engagement, and women in higher education leadership. Lauren graduated with her Ph.D. in 2013.
