Mission Statement
The Master’s in Higher Education & Student Affairs (HESA) program prepares transformative and collaborative leaders equipped to serve across diverse institutional contexts. Grounded in equity, inclusion, and belonging principles, the program emphasizes evidence-based practices to foster student success, institutional effectiveness, and resilient organizations. Our graduates are prepared to lead with integrity, innovation, and empathy, driving positive change and promoting inclusive excellence in higher education environments.
Vision Statement
We envision a future where higher education and student affairs leaders drive transformative change across diverse institutional settings. Our graduates will be known for their commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as their ability to apply evidence-based practices to foster student success, enhance institutional resilience, and promote inclusive excellence. By leading with integrity, empathy, and innovation, they will create both sustainable and responsive educational environments that meet the evolving needs of higher education stakeholders.
Values
We value the diversity that both traditional and non-traditional graduate students bring to the discussion of higher education and seek to recruit and retain both types of students for our program.
We value the success of our graduate students and promote that success through thoughtful advising, student-centered culturally-responsive teaching, and personal support.
We value quality instruction and strive to improve our own teaching through reading, reflection, and assessment.
We value social justice and advance it through our instruction, our research, and our professional activities.
We value the concept of scholar-practitioner and model it in our behavior and encourage it in our students.
We value service to Western North Carolina as well as the state and nation and provide that service through our recruitment, admission, teaching, and consulting.
We value the ongoing contributions that our students make to higher education in the state and region and enhance those contributions by providing a rich and rigorous curriculum.
We value the concept of the community of practice and model that concept in our dealings with our students and with each other.
We value integrity and demonstrate it through the consistency of our actions with the values we espouse.