Outstanding Alumni – Stuart Evans (EdD 2011)

Stu Evans (EdD 2011) is the executive director of the McIntire School of Commerce Foundation at the University of Virginia and the assistant dean of strategic initiatives at the McIntire School of Commerce.

Evans is also the program director for the eMcIntire Executive Certificate in Management Program and the McIntire Business Institute. He works closely with the academic director and faculty teams to develop curriculum, integrate technology solutions, and manage the client relationships for the programs. His areas of expertise include: Building and Managing Teams, Strategy Development and Execution, Project Management, Instructional Design, Customer Service Management, Collaboration and Instructional Technologies.

Prior to joining UVA, Evans worked as a senior consultant for Booz Allen and Hamilton. He served as the project manager for software development and Enterprise Architecture projects for the Department of Education. He also developed business continuity and disaster recovery plans for IT-related operations at the Department of Education.

What are your current projects?

My main focus right now is building organizational capacity to deliver executive education, non-degree and online programs. Current projects include the development of several online certificate programs. One example is an online adaption of our McIntire Business Institute (MBI). MBI, designed specifically for non-business students, is an intensive certificate program offering top-quality instruction in the fundamentals of business. MBI Online, which held its inaugural virtual class on May 25, joins two popular classroom-based sessions of the program, held during the summer and throughout the academic year, respectively.

In what ways does your IHE training apply to your work—both the everyday and long-term?

The program gave me a wider appreciation for the university and the higher education landscape. I have a much better understanding of how my university works and what forces might be influencing decisions that at first glance might be difficult to understand. This broader understanding helps me make better decisions on everyday issues and helps shape our long-term strategies.

What’s your favorite memory of IHE?

I would have to say our trip to the Netherlands during the first summer of the program. I believe that trip brought us closer together as a cohort and it didn’t hurt that the country was in the midst of World Cup fever when the Dutch were making their last run to the finals. The trip also drove home that many of the problems we face at our institutions are not unique to the U.S. Dwindling state support, tuition pressures and political scrutiny on how we manage our resources are issues we all grapple with to some degree. The trip allowed us to engage with leaders from other cultural perspectives and share ideas and approaches that might have merit in the other’s educational system.

What do you consider IHE’s best asset?

The faculty team. We often joked about the rock star status of the faculty for the program, but it was true. Doug Toma put together a remarkable group of scholars and educators for us, and Dr. Knapp’s leadership roundtables exposed us to thought leaders not only in the education sector, but also from a variety of industries to discuss their perspectives on managing complex organizations.

If you could sum up your IHE experience in three words, what would you say?

Rewarding, enlightening and fun.