The purpose of the M.Ed inHigher Education Program Alumni Newsletter is to keep our alumni up-to-date on program news and provide opportunities for you to stay enaged with your alma mater! 

If there are any updates or highlights you would like to share feel free to email us highered@gvsu.edu and we would be happy to feature them! 

Hello from Grand Rapids! 

My name is Laila McCloud and I've started my second year as the graduate program director for the Higher Education program. I joined the faculty in the fall of 2021 after teaching in the College Student Personnel program at Western Illinois University. You can read more about me and our current faculty on the program website. Please connect with me on LinkedIn!

Our program faculty have been busy with curriculum updates to the program to ensure that our program remains innovative and responsive to a dynamic postsecondary education climate. Once our curriculum proposals have been approved we will be sure to share the updates with you. 

This fall we are welcomed 29 new part-time and full-time students to our community! Our new students bring experiences from Hope College, University of Cape Coast, Olivet Nazarene University, Albion College, Michigan State University, University of Education, Central Michigan University, Roanoke College, Eastern Michigan University, and Grand Valley State University to name a few!

We are recruiting for our next cohort of students and we'd appreciate your referrals!  If you know anyone who is interested in a career in higher education and student affairs, encourage them to sign up for one of our upcoming information sessions. Both sessions will be available via Zoom. If you are interested in speaking at our October session, please email highered@gvsu.edu by Wednesday, September 18th.

Thursday, September 19 @ 12 - 1 PM EST - International Student Focus

Monday, October 7 @ 6:30 - 7:30 PM EST - Careers in Higher Education & Student Affairs Focus

Alumni Spotlight

We'd love to spotlight you and all the awesome work you are doing in the world. If you'd like to be featured please email highered@gvsu.edu the following information:

1. Name, pronouns, graduation year
2. Place of employment, position
3. What did you learn in the program that you continue to use today?
4. What advice do you have for current and prospective students? 
5. Include a photo that you'd like to include with your spotlight.

The 2025-2026 Academic Year marks the 30th anniversary of the M.Ed in Higher Education program! We're excited to begin planning to mark this occassion. We are also excited to kick off our $30 for 30 fundraiser!

We are thankful to Bart for his continued investment in our program and want to provide an opportunity for alumni and friends to invest in our program. Your donations will be used to support the professional development of current students in the program as well as social activities to enhance our community. 

To donate $30 (or any amount!) please visit this website and select the "H. Bart Merkle CSAL Endownment Fund' https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-752.htm. 

Thank you for your continued support of our program!