Doctoral Program Ask Me Anything

Doctoral Program Ask Me Anything

Recorded On: 02/23/2021

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    • Non-member - $50
    • Member - $25
    • Institutional Member - $50
    • Premier Member - $20

This AMA (Ask Me Anything) session will feature NIRSA professionals who are currently in or have completed doctoral (EdD or PhD) programs. The panel will share their firsthand experiences with doctoral programs, including topics such as selecting and applying to programs, funding, balancing priorities while in a program (e.g., work, family, health), selecting committees and research topics, and writing a dissertation. This session will provide attendees with valuable information, resources, and networking connections for support in doctoral pursuits.

Dexter Shorter, ED.D.

Associate Director for Competitive Sports & Tennis Programs

Pennsylvania State University

Dexter is an Associate Director of Programs for the Department of Campus Recreation at Penn State University - University Park campus. The units that report to his position are Competitive Sports and Tennis Programs. In addition to Penn State, he has served as a collegiate recreation professional at the University of North Alabama and The Ohio State University during his career. Overall, he has more than 10 years of professional experience within the field of Collegiate Recreation. 

Dexter is active as a professional member of NIRSA. Currently, he is in his first year of a two year term as the Chairperson of the Basketball Work Team within the NIRSA Championship Series. Other experiences include multiple years of service as the Co-Director of the NIRSA National Basketball Championships as well as a member of the planning committee for the Emerging Recreational Sports Leaders Conference (ERSLC). In addition, he enjoys volunteering and presenting during professional development events at the local, regional, and national levels of the association. 

Finally, Dexter is a Doctor of Education (EdD) student at Ohio State, studying Higher Education & Student Affairs (HESA). He and his family are excited to be near the end of his 4th and final year of the program.

Education Background:
Master of Arts in Communication Arts: Corporate Communication - Austin Peay State University
Master of Science in Health & Human Performance: Sport & Wellness Leadership - Austin Peay State University
Bachelor of Applied Arts in Sport Studies - Central Michigan University

Heather Sanderson

Assistant Professor

Meredith College

Dr. Heather Sanderson is an Assistant Professor, Nutrition, Health and Human Performance and Director, Lowery Fitness Center at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. Like many, she began in the field of collegiate recreation as an intramural sports official and group fitness instructor at the University of Arkansas where she obtained her bachelor degree in kinesiology.  Thereafter, she was the Graduate Assistant of Fitness at The University of West Florida in which she a recipient of the 2012 UWF Outstanding Alumni Award.  Her first professional position was at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro as the Assistant Director, Fitness. She completed her doctorate of education in kinesiology from UNCG in 2008.

After a decade at UNCG, she made the move an hour away to North Carolina State University as an Associate Director, Wellness and Recreation in which she oversaw finance and fundraising, facility operations, marketing and communication, member services, outdoor adventures, student development and research and assessment. Her passion for research and teaching on physical activity, wellness and college student success flourished in which she made the leap to faculty at Meredith College to focus her attention on the advancement of collegiate recreation research.  She has served on NIRSA’s Health and Wellbeing commission, NIRSA’s Research and Assessment committee, NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation faculty and the Recreational Sports Journal Editorial Board.

Jarrell Garcia

Assistant Director for Operations

University of California-Santa Barbara

I am currently the Assistant Director for Recreation Operations at the University of California, Santa Barbara where my job functions include overseeing 110+ part-time and full-time student and professional employees, managing 18 recreation facilities/spaces, and provide supervision for all membership and U.S. passport services. I have been in this role for three years and prior to working at UCSB, I worked at the University of California, Berkeley, and UCLA.

When I am not working on our beautiful campus or diving into research I can be found teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As a jiu-jitsu practitioner for over 10 years and a black belt in the art I am fortunate to be able to surround myself with sports and wellness activities.

Education Background
Sports Administration, B.S., Lock Haven University
Sports Management, M.S., East Stroudsburg University
Educational Leadership w/ Concentration in Athletic Administration, Ed.D., Drexel University

Megan Krone

Adjunct Faculty

DePaul University

Wendy Windsor, EdD, CRSS

NIRSA Board President; Director, Campus Recreation

Tulane University

Dr. Wendy Windsor is the Director of Campus Recreation at Tulane University, where she has served since 2017.  In addition to Campus Recreation, Wendy is also currently providing leadership oversight for the Health Promotion unit. Wendy’s first Campus Recreation professional position was in the role of Associate Director of Recreational Sports at Texas A&M University, Kingsville (TAMUK). Following her tenure at TAMUK, Wendy held positions at Middle Tennessee State University, Louisiana State University, UCLA and now Tulane University. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, Master of Education in Health & Human Performance, and Doctor of Education in Sport Management. 

An active member of NIRSA for over 18 years, Wendy is currently serving in the role of President-designee. She has also served on Faculty for the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation (NSCR), served as Chair of the Championship Series Standards and NIRSA Student Professional Development committee(s), served as Tennessee State Director,  and served on the Leadership and Sustainable Practices Commission(s), nominations & appointments, and NIRSA Annual Conference Program Committee(s). Wendy also served as NIRSA Region II Soccer Director for 7 years and was co-founder of the Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance.  Wendy has presented at the state, regional, and national level and served as the keynote speaker during the 2014 NIRSA Region VI Student lead-on.

In addition to her involvement within NIRSA, Wendy is an active member of the Tulane community serving in multiple capacities to include the Wave of Support (Mental Health) advisory board, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) taskforce, Student Affairs Strategic Planning Committee, Black Women Collective and the LGBTQIA Faculty/Staff Affinity Group. Wendy also serves as a mentor for the Tulane Women’s Basketball mentorship program.

In her spare time, Wendy is a huge supporter of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletes. She enjoys traveling spending quality time with family/ friends, and serving as a float lieutenant for one of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Krewes. Wendy prides herself in network building, providing mentorship, and influencing the leadership development of others.

Yvette Kell

Director of Campus Recreation

CENTERS, LLC At University of Missouri-St Louis

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Doctoral Program Ask Me Anything
Open to view video.
Open to view video. This AMA (Ask Me Anything) session will feature NIRSA professionals who are currently in or have completed doctoral (EdD or PhD) programs. The panel will share their firsthand experiences with doctoral programs, including topics such as selecting and applying to programs, funding, balancing priorities while in a program (e.g., work, family, health), selecting committees and research topics, and writing a dissertation. This session will provide attendees with valuable information, resources, and networking connections for support in doctoral pursuits.
Certificate
0.75 NIRSA CEUs credits  |  Certificate available
0.75 NIRSA CEUs credits  |  Certificate available