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Karen E. Crist, Ed.D., is a 2024 graduate of the Ed.D. program in Educational and Professional Practice at Antioch University.

Dr. Karen E. Crist

Dissertation Committee:

  • Emiliano Gonzalez, PhD, Chairperson
  • Douglas Judge, PhD, Committee Member
  • Cristy Sugarman, EdD, Committee Member

Keywords

professional staff, student services, student support, relational practice, third spaces, ethics of care, social justice leadership, educational leadership, small universities, qualitative, grounded theory

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

Beginning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education experienced a sea of change in reduced enrollment, altered course delivery models, and increased need for student support. While observing staff’s actual impact on the student experience during this time, this study will address the question, “How do professional staff in small private universities (a) perceive their contributions to the retention of students and (b) perceive their overall value to the institutions they serve?” Owing to gaps in research on professional staff experiences, the literature review synthesizes current trends related to enrollment, retention, and persistence, focusing on small, private, non-profit 4-year institutions; discusses the disparate impact of these trends; examines the context of academic staffing trends; reviews the experiences of professional staff, focusing on critical connections between student and institution, student learning within liminal spaces, gender, and relational practice; and, examining social justice leadership in postsecondary education staffing. This qualitative study employs a constructivist grounded theory method using an initial anonymous questionnaire and interviews with volunteers for a deeper exploration of themes. The pool of nine interview participants comprises mid-level professional staff with at least three years of experience in student-supporting roles from five private universities with under 5,000 students. Potential implications relate to improving student retention practices and eliminating barriers by rethinking staff structures, resource allocation, and investment in student support areas. Further implications are related to staff role satisfaction, socially just models for professional development, and training of the next generation of professional staff. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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Karen Crist at her graduation ceremony

From L to R: Dr. Cristy Sugarman, Dr. Karen E. Crist, and Dr. Emiliano Gonzalez. Not pictured: Dr. Douglas Judge.

ORCID: 0009-0005-1032-9488

Bio:

Karen Crist, EdD (she/her), has held progressively responsible student supporting roles in higher education, including senior administrator roles in student services and student success. At the completion of her doctorate, she was the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success at Antioch University. Her portfolio has included program administration, enrollment management, disability support services, career planning, prior learning assessment, student conduct, Title IX, Veteran and military-connected student affairs, writing support, registrar, reaffirmation of accreditation, strategic planning, retention, and efforts related to creating inclusive learning environments for all students, especially underrepresented, marginalized, and vulnerable student populations. Karen helped launch the earliest asynchronous online learning model at Antioch University, provided faculty training in online teaching and student support, and has taught online courses in Prior Learning Theory and Practice, and Student Personal and Professional Development. She has provided leadership in student affairs for adult learners at all degree levels.

Crist’s research interests include relational practices, adult learning, student retention and persistence, professional staff development, collaborative work between administration and faculty, student engagement, gender inequality, and systems thinking for social change. She holds that the future of higher education requires a bold reimagining of its structures and systems, including an examination of whose voices are considered in the process.

Previous professional leadership roles have been held in human resources, organizational development, and work redesign. She has provided consulting services to families seeking disability accommodations for their students K-12 through graduate school.

Along with her MA in Management with a concentration on community college management, Crist holds a graduate certificate in trauma-informed education from Antioch University. She earned her BA in Human Development and Social Relations from Earlham College. Dr. Crist lives in Ohio near family and friends, and can most often be found in her art studio in her spare time.

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