Alumni News - 2015

Linda Bachman (EdD, 2013) was named UGA’s inaugural director of university experiential learning in the Office of the Vice President for Instruction, effective May 1. Bachman, who chaired a university-wide committee convened by Provost Pamela Whitten in 2014 to explore an experiential learning requirement for undergraduate students, will provide leadership for this groundbreaking academic initiative. Bachman is quoted in an article titled “Colleges Strive to Meet Demand for a More Hands-On Education,” which appeared in the May 15 Chronicle of Higher Education, highlighting the new UGA initiative.

Andrew Belasco (PhD, 2014) was mentioned in both the Washington Post and in Forbes magazine in reference to research he co-authored with Jim Hearn and Kelly Ochs Rosinger on test-optional admissions policies and their effects on improving college diversity and access. He was also interviewed recently by National Public Radio to discuss this research in a segment titled “Why Are Colleges Really Going Test-Optional?”

Douglas R. Chadwick (PhD, 2015) was one of 18 graduating student veterans presented with military honor cords by UGA President Jere W. Morehead during the Student Veterans Resource Center’s Honor Cord Ceremony. Chadwick, an active duty Army major, returned to West Point after graduation in May.

Lauren Collier (PhD, 2013) is the new executive assistant to the president at Volunteer State Community College in TN. She provides direct assistance and advice to the president in achieving goals and objectives regarding matters of institutional operations, and facilitates communication between the president and internal and external constituencies.

Marilyn De LaRoche (EdD, 2011) was named senior director for University Housing and Auxiliary Services at the University of Michigan, effective August. De LaRoche previously served as director of University Housing at Georgia State University, an institution with more than 32,000 students–5,000 of which are housed on campus.

Jeff Delaney (EdD, 2011) was named interim chief information officer beginning June 1 for the University System of Georgia, Board of Regents. Delaney has served in the University System of Georgia for over 15 years at four of its member institutions and now at the University System Office. Jeff has served as deputy chief information officer at the USG office in Athens since 2011.

Mary Milan Deupree’s (PhD, 2013) dissertation “‘Policy Be Damned, Re- search Be Damned’: A Multiple Case Study of Research Use in Undocumented Student Policy Decisions,” was selected as the runner-up (semi-finalist) for the Politics of Education Association Out- standing Dissertation of the Year Award at the 2015 American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting in Chicago in April.

Ginger Durham (EdD, 2015) assumed the role of assistant vice chancellor for faculty development at the University System of Georgia on August 1. Durham has worked in the USG Office of Faculty Development for the past 10 years, recently serving as director of faculty development.

Dina McDade Hewett (PhD, 1999) was appointed as director of Brenau University’s School of Nursing on July 15, 2014. Hewett’s appointment comes at a pivotal time in the growth and evolution of the nursing program at Brenau, which produced its first five Doctor of Nursing Practice degree recipients in 2014.

Tom Jackson (PhD, 2008), UGA’s vice president for public affairs since 1988, was appointed heritage communications executive August 1 to lead a new initiative for the University System of Georgia. In his new role, Jackson will work on the next edition of the book Historical Development of the University System of Georgia, which was written by the late Cameron Fincher. Jackson will also spearhead efforts for the state of Georgia’s observation of the centennial of World War I.

Samaad Wes Keys (PhD, 2014) joins Achieving the Dream as associate director of programs and policy. He will work on community college programs that effect institutional change, advance knowledge, and public engagement. Conceived as an initiative in 2004 by Lumina Foundation and seven founding partner organizations, Achieving the Dream now leads the most comprehensive nongovernmental reform movement for student success in higher education history.

Drew Pearl (PhD, 2015) became director of academic engagement at the University of North Georgia, effective July 1. He accepted the job less than one week after graduation.

Danny Pugh (PhD, 2000), has been named vice president for student affairs at Texas A&M University and began his new duties on Aug. 1. He previously served as vice provost for student affairs at the University of Arkansas.

Chad Puls (EdD, 2013) took the position of deputy assistant commissioner for student financial aid programs at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Austin on March 16. He previously served as associate dean of college enrollment and director of financial aid at the University of Rochester.

Jennifer Rippner (PhD, 2013) joined the University System of Georgia team as executive director of Education Policy & Partnership and coordinator of the Georgia Alliance of Education Agency Heads (AEAH) on May 1. Rippner most recently served as a postdoctoral research and teaching associate at UGA’s Institute of Higher Education. Her book, The American Education Policy Landscape, will be published December 30, 2015 by Routledge. (See Books on page 3 of this issue.)

Kelly Ochs Rosinger (PhD, 2015) has accepted an Institute of Education Sciences- funded postdoctoral fellowship in EdPolicyWorks at the University of Virginia. EdPolicyWorks is a joint collaboration between the Curry School of Education and the Frank Batten School of Leader- ship and Public Policy. As a member of the research team, Rosinger will collaborate on projects examining large-scale field experiments that leverage behavioral insights to help low-income and first- generation college-going students access and succeed in higher education.

Brooks Seay (EdD, 2011) is the new CFO and vice president of finance and operations at Young Harris College in North Georgia. She will guide the strategic direction of a college that has experienced significant recent growth. In her role at Young Harris, Seay will provide leadership and oversight for all aspects of the institution’s financial administration and non-academic operations. Previously, she was chief business and lead administrative officer at Emory University’s Law School.

Jennifer Stephens (PhD, 2013) has been named as an ACE Fellow for academic year 2015-16 by the American Council on Education.Through her fellowship, she will be mentored by the president and other senior leaders at Georgia State University. Stephens currently holds the position of associate vice president of public affairs at Georgia Gwinnett College. She also had an article published in NACUBO’s Business Officer (June 2015) that is based on her dissertation research, titled “A Primer on Public-Private Ventures.”