Success Stories
Alexandria Romanovich, 2012 LHE Graduate
Current Employment: INTO University of South Florida, Student Services Coordinator for Orientation
LHE Internships: International Student Services Intern (BW), Student Success and Orientation Intern (Cuyahoga Community College)
Upon my completion of the LHE program, I became Student Services Coordinator for INTO University of South Florida. In this role, I coordinate orientation for hundreds of international students enrolled in three distinct programs. The LHE curriculum fully prepared me for this job, as I served a diverse population as Graduate Intern at Baldwin Wallace's International Student Services, co-organized new student orientations as a Graduate Intern at Cuyahoga Community College, and developed a peer-advising program during my practicum with BW's Explorations and Study Abroad Office. Through these positions, as well as in-class discussions and readings, I've been able to use theories related to student development to create orientations that will retain INTO students and foster their success. Attending BW for both undergraduate and graduate school enabled me to build solid relationships with many professionals in the realm of higher education. I may live in Tampa now, but my heart will always be in Berea!
Valerie Rambin, 2011 LHE Graduate
Current Employment: Program Associate, Japan Study Program, Earlham College
LHE Internships: Study Abroad and Intercultural Education Intern at BW, Admissions Intern at Oberlin College
I discovered BW's Leadership in Higher Education program when I was looking for a career in higher education that would allow me to continue working with students and families from diverse backgrounds. I am particularly interested in providing students with support and guidance to help their development through college. I find joy in helping students make the best choices for them whether it be helping them choose the right university, the study abroad program that best meets their needs, or advising students on academic programs. After I graduated from BW's master's program in 2011, I accepted my current position as Program Associate for the Japan Study Program at Earlham College. My position is part study abroad advisor for all Earlham students who want to study in Japan, and part recruiter for the Japan Study Program at other colleges and universities in the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM). I help oversee two programs: the Japan Study Program and the Studies in Cross-Cultural Education in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.
Amanda Means, 2011 LHE Graduate
Current Employment: Admissions Counselor, Notre Dame College
LHE Internships: Student Success Initiatives Intern, CARE/MNM Intern
The LHE program promotes a unique blend of Student, Academic and Administrative Affairs to provide a comprehensive, well-rounded foundation for aspiring transformative leaders in Higher Education. In 2011 after graduating from the LHE Program, I accepted a position as Admissions Counselor and began employment at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio. Notre Dame College is an environment where transformation is the undertone of all activity, and it is an exciting time to be part of this culture! NDC has tripled enrollment in the last 10 years, became co-educational, and most recently became an NCAA Division-II school. My experiences lie heavily in inspiring an atmosphere of collaboration, student development, success and retention, and leadership training.
Zachary McGrain, 2012 LHE Graduate
Current Employment: Academic Advisor-School of Nursing, Ohio University
LHE Internships: Career Services Intern at BW, and Learning Center Intern at BW
I am an Academic Advisor for the School of Nursing at Ohio University. Specifically, I am working for a grant that OU received from the Department of Labor. The purpose of the grant is to recruit students to OU's various nursing programs at the main campus in Athens as well as all regional campuses. As Advisor for the Nursing Education And Retraining for Success (NEARS) grant, it is my job to give these students the extra tools and coaching they need to stay successful in the classroom and beyond. The LHE program prepared me for the future in many ways. I was able to have two internships in areas that I felt fit my future goals perfectly. I had two amazing internship supervisors that not only helped me with the everyday work of a higher education professional, but they took a true interest in me and my success. I quickly realized that I was going to be doing everything a full-time staff member would be doing in a position like mine. This gave me real-life experience within higher education to help me stand out among my peers which ultimately gave me the ability to land a full-time position. I would not be where I am today without the time I spent at BW and the people with whom I was able to work.
Cindy Ahonen, 2011 LHE Graduate
Currently Enrolled: PhD Program, Indiana University; Project Associate for the Center for Postsecondary Research working on the NSSE at Indiana University
LHE Internships: Advancement Intern, Academic Affairs Intern
While my research interests are still developing, they include the student experience, institutional differentiation, assessment and accountability in higher education. The LHE program gave me opportunities to actively shape and mold experiences, and the ability to create and innovate in graduate internships. My advice for LHE students: Network from day 1 with people across campus. Build relationships with faculty and staff that are similar to you or have similar interests, or even if they are really different. It's all about exposure and creating opportunities for Chaos Theory to manifest! Also, do your practicum off campus, or at least in a different area than your two internships. Diversity of experience introduces you to different persons and work environments which will help make you more marketable.
Nicole Gatrell, Part-time LHE Student
Current Employment: Coordinator of Student Engagement/Commuter Student Services and Welcome Center, Hiram College
LHE Internships: (all at Hiram College) Impact Peer Mentoring, Student Academic Services, Commuter Student Services
I am enrolled in the Leadership in Higher Education program at Baldwin Wallace University as a part-time student while working full-time at Hiram College. I am part of a four person team that comprises Ethnic Diversity Affairs, International Students, Commuter Students, the Welcome Center and Campus Involvement. The option of enrolling part-time in the LHE program has afforded me the opportunity to maintain and expand my responsibilities at Hiram College while pursuing my master's degree. I am taking one class a semester along with an internship. Hiram is about an hour drive from Berea, so I have been taking my classes at BW East in Beachwood via interactive video, and I come to Berea to meet with groups and hear presenters. After completing an internship on how my department could incorporate commuter student services, I became the coordinator of this new program as part of the Student Engagement Team. My internships have also allowed me to work with retention warning systems, co-teach a study strategies and time management course, and lead a grant-funded peer mentoring program for African American and Hispanic students. Our class discussions and topics are meaningfully reflected in the tasks I complete on a daily basis at Hiram College; and the ideas and concepts we learn in the LHE program assist me in continually growing as a professional in higher education.
Brandy Bast, 2012 LHE Graduate
Current Employment: Student Success Mentor/Coach, Goodwill Education Initiatives
LHE Internships: Adult & Continuing Education at BW, and Student Success Intern at BW
As soon as I graduated in May, I successfully secured a position working with Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc. as a success coach/mentor in Indianapolis Indiana. The experiences I had in the classroom and in my internships allowed me to pursue my passion...working with at-risk students and first-generation college students. The research and projects I completed in the LHE program were geared toward first-generation college students. My position at Goodwill allows me to work with high school students who were unable to finish, who want to pursue their diploma. The LHE program provides students with a holistic view of higher education and equips graduates with a variety of practical experiences. I have worked on a number of projects both in and out of class that have real-life applicability and have gained an immense amount of transferable skills while in the program. The skills gained through practical experience and previous coursework prepared me to take on the role at Goodwill with confidence and passion!
Heather Schwager, 2011 LHE Graduate
Current Employment: Director of Admissions, Magnificat High School
LHE Internships: Living/Learning Intern, Kohler Hall Director, Student Activities Intern
It was the week of my college graduation when I discovered BW’s Leadership in Higher Education program, and like most college seniors, I was unsure of my next step. In speaking with the faculty and staff involved in the program, I knew Baldwin Wallace University and the LHE program would be an obvious fit. The LHE program provided me with the fundamental skills needed in higher education administration, specifically within the realms of Academic and Student Affairs. I was able to put these skills into practice through my internships and practicum, which provided a bridge into real life experiences in higher education. In my current position as Director of Admissions at Magnificat High School, I use my leadership and organizational skills on a daily basis when working with current and prospective students and their families. It’s an exciting time to be in higher education, and Baldwin Wallace was the stepping stone I needed to create my future success.