Doctoral Student Nicholas "Mac" McPherson is a part-time Doctoral student at the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education. He joined the University of Georgia in November 2024 as a College Advisor in the Terry College of Business, seeing primarily Finance and Management Information Systems Technology students. As an Advisor, Mac assists current and newly admitted Terry students with their academic success and degree completion, as well as providing resources and referrals to the various departments around campus as needed. He also helps participate in Terry New Majors Orientation in the Fall/Spring, New Student Orientation (First Year and Transfer) in the Summer/Winter, and other events throughout the year. In this role, he has also completed several certification courses, including the Certificate in Academic Advising, Certificate in Diversity & Inclusion, Dawg Ally Certification, and the Support Dawgs Certification (including the QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Program). He is currently working on the Advanced Certificate in Academic Advising, Inclusive Excellence in Academic Advising, Global Certificate, and the Certificate in Leadership & Supervision as well. Prior to his employment at UGA, Mac worked under the Technical College System of Georgia at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta, GA. During his 2.5 years there, he worked in the One-Stop Enrollment & Success Center as a Student Success Coordinator under the Dean of Enrollment Services & Student Success. As an SSC, his work primarily revolved around being an Academic Advisor and Admissions Specialist, but he also worked very closely with several other departments, including Financial Aid, Veterans Affairs, Business Office, Economic Development, Adult Education, and the Registrar's Office. Also during his time there, he was a member of the Technology Committee, the SAP Appeals Committee, and was a member of Cohort 5 of the Leadership Academy led by Millie Ward. Mac's research interests include college access and upward transfer, specifically for those students from historically underrepresented communities (first generation, low socioeconomic status, students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, etc.) as well as the social stratification and barriers they face while pursuing post-secondary education. Mac is a double graduate of Valdosta State University, with a Master of Arts in Teaching in Music Education ('19) and a Bachelor of Arts in Music ('18, Cum Laude).
