Student Testimonials
Our Graduates have experienced enormous success around the state, the country, and even the World! We have alumni working in our local NE Florida community here at UNF, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the University of Florida. But we have graduates throughout the state and country in places such as Florida Gulf Coast University, University of South Florida, University of West Florida, University of Memphis, Virginia Tech, the University of Michigan, Western Governors University, Portland State University and even NASA to name just a few.
Hear what they have to say about their own experience in the Higher Education Administration program and how it has prepared them for their careers.
Dena Kowal
Dena is a graduate of UNF earning both a Bachelor of Science in Communication in 2014 and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership in 2017. Dena currently works at UNC Greensboro in the Office of the Registrar as a Transfer Credit and Articulation Analyst, and has previously held roles in academic advising and course scheduling.
The HEA program helped Dena discover her niche working within enrollment management (student and academic records, registration). In fact, the HEA program helped Dena change careers entirely as she did not begin her master’s degree working in higher education. Enrollment in the HEA program helped her land her first professional higher education role.
In Dena's own words:
"Anyone exploring higher education programs should consider UNF. The program allows you to connect with professionals from different interest areas and creates a supportive environment from professors and peers no matter where you're at in your professional higher education journey."
Kelsey Ryan
Kelsey earned her Master of Science in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in Student Affairs in 2018 and currently serves as the Assistant Director for the Center of Service Learning and Volunteerism at the University of Memphis. Kelsey’s role helps students, faculty, and staff find impactful service opportunities within the Memphis community. She also serves as the coordinator for Community Action and Social Change minor, and works with faculty across campus to promote and find opportunities for engaged scholarship.
Kelsey took a non-traditional route into higher education, having worked in healthcare for several years before enrolling in the HEA program. She immediately felt welcome in the program, even though she was not working in higher education at the time of her initial enrollment. The HEA program helped Kelsey make connections with several institutions within the Jacksonville community, and helped her land her first full time job in higher education, working at UNF within Enrollment Services. The program also allowed Kelsey to find some of her best friends, that she is still in touch with several years later.
As a first generation college student, Kelsey was unaware of a path leading to working at colleges and universities while she was pursuing her undergraduate degree. After leaving her Pharm.D. program halfway through, Kelsey was living in Jacksonville and experienced what she lovingly refers to as her “quarter life crisis.” She was very passionate about her Greek membership and the student leader experience she had while an undergraduate, and so she began searching for more information about how to work at a college or university, looking for a way to help mentor the next generation of student leaders. Kelsey happened upon UNF’s HEA program and never looked back.
In Kelsey's own words:
"This program offers the flexibility for the working professional, so students can continue working while taking classes. The program also allows its students more autonomy than most other programs, giving the students more control over their schedules. Not to mention, all the faculty had deep roots connected to the Jacksonville community and the world of higher education, offering us a unique opportunity to find committed, passionate mentors. The class sizes are large enough for passionate debates and peer learning, but small enough to still create one-on-one engagement with the professors and foster genuine connections with peers."
Niky Morrison
Niky graduated with a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration in 2018. As an undergraduate she worked as a resident assistant and enjoyed the job so much that she wanted to continue post-graduation. After a quick google search she found UNF, one of the few schools to offer a degree in higher education in the state. A UNF tour was all it took for Niky to fall in love with the campus, the culture and the people.
The HEA program is where Niky says she met some of her closest friends, learned more about her future career path, and made a tight-knit network of HEA professionals that she still counts on today.
In Niky's own words:
"Starting the HEA degree is the best thing I could ever do. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity this is it. The program is set up so that you can easily build your own cohort, learn from each other, and learn by doing. Do not be intimidated by others in the room. Some may already be in higher education, a few may not, either way YOU are going to succeed and be an integral part of the higher education system. The faculty and staff of this program will make sure of it. Through the HEA program at UNF you will not only learn to be the best higher ed professional you can be, but gain a network of support and understanding."
Heather Strange
Heather Strange, M.Ed. ’15, is the Director of Fiscal Policy and Communications at George Mason University where she is using her knowledge of higher education administration, fiscal leadership and communication skills to guide the campus community. Upon graduation, Heather was able to secure a position at Mason as the Fiscal Training Manager and later advanced to her role as Director. She credits her M.Ed. and professional experience with giving her an edge over the competition. “The Higher Education Administration program allowed me to gain an overall understanding of how colleges and universities function while reinforcing my capability in more specialized areas.”
Haley Reinheimer
Haley is a graduate of UNF earning both a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education K-6 in 2019 and a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in Student Affairs in 2021. Haley currently serves as the Accreditation Coordinator for the College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida. Haley's role supports collection, maintenance, and management of data for accreditation, and planning and assessment for all programs in the College of Education and Human Services.
In Haley's own words:
"When I finished my Bachelors Degree at UNF, I suddenly realized I never wanted to leave college. Luckily, a UNF academic advisor informed me of the HEA degree. Upon starting the degree, I immediately wanted to immerse myself into the higher education profession. The program director worked one-on-one with me to find a Graduate Assistantship position in Assessment and Accreditation that would fit my needs and goals. Upon graduation, I was offered a full-time position in the College of Education and Human Services as the Accreditation Coordinator. The HEA program at UNF truly helped me discover my passion in assessment and accreditation as well as equip me with the tools I needed to be successful as a higher education practitioner. During my time in the program, I had many opportunities to grow in the profession as well as make connections across the nation. One opportunity I took full advantage of was the honor to represent UNF at the 2022 National Education Finance Academy Conference to present the research I had done while in the HEA program. I will always hold the HEA family near and dear to my heart!"
Alex Stoetzer
Alex earned his Master of Science in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in Student Affairs in 2019 and currently serves as the Director for Housing Operations at Florida Polytechnic University. As a graduate student, Alex focused his academic research on Public-Private Partnerships and finance while working in the Housing and Residence Life department as an Assistant Residence Life Coordinator.
In Alex’s own words: “The HEA program at UNF was one of the best decisions I made for my education. While attending UNF I made lifelong friends, colleagues and found that the coursework applied to both my current and future roles to come. Since graduating from the program, I have grown in my career because of the strong foundation in finance and understanding of business practices at universities which I gained through research and coursework during my time at UNF.