Where to even begin?

Hi, my name is Kristin. I have one passion in life and it’s to transform higher education to be transformational. I have an interesting background of hospitality, event and experience design, tourism, marketing, and academia. I am out to redesign the higher education experience for faculty, for staff, and for students.

Of course, there is a LOT behind those statements. There is a lot that goes into them. A lot to be taken out of them. It’s just…. a lot. Am I trying to save a ship that’s sinking? While I am in it? Not that it should matter, but definitely still on the tenure-TRACK. I worked at another university for awhile before I came to be current one. I didn’t take any time towards tenure, so I now submit that book sometime next year.

I have an epic Dean and she has an incredible vision and she supports me in my crazy ambitions. Am I still in all the quarantine Facebook groups for students? Absolutely. Do I follow the professor is out page as well? Yep. (Am I in absolutely way too many Facebook groups…..definitely.)

What led to this? Not to repeat “a lot” – but ya. Higher ed saved my life. I know that it has and can continue to do that for others. I have a large dream and an actionable mindset. I value impact and transformation.

I was very fortunate to get a job offer over the summer for a higher level administrative role in another country. It really made me pause and evaluate my life. I wrote out all the lists of pros and cons. I wrote out the grass is greener on the other side stories. I interviewed my friends and friends of my friends. Was a double promotion worth all that it entailed? I wrote out my purpose in life and how that position aligned with my purpose.

I love academia because it attracts entrepreneurs with a bit of a low risk mentality. You create and own something with a steady paycheck and decent benefits. When I started I listened to society and all the societal expectations about moving up the ladder, yadda yadda.  Then I unlearned myself and societal expectations. And then I didn’t want that anymore. 

I love my position and my life. If I could do anything different going forward, it would be a bit more of a management consulting role. <….Que this project and this site…..>  So I realized that the things I loved about the position offered was the potential for impact, change management, designing and defining culture, project management, and ALL THE PEOPLE. I love people and facilitating transformational change. What I didn’t love was an admin position, all the HORRIBLE time-wasted and life-sucking meetings, and putting out fires all day. I didn’t love the idea of a position that would keep me so occupied in the policies and regulations that I wouldn’t have the capacity to design and implement the change that was so needed.

After I turned down the job and decided to stay put for the next 18 months of so (can you guess what happens then?), I said…. Why can’t I do this?  My Dean is incredible and has such a great vision, but is lacking capacity to design and implement (see admin notes above….)  I can serve that capacity.

So I put together a proposal and here I am. I have time dedicated now to redesigning higher education. And I want to detail out the process of what that looks like for the everyone to see and benefit from. No, this isn’t IRB approved. And no, it won’t be written up in a theoretical Tier 1 journal. But, processes and tools will be developed and grounded in the most incredible research. And I am so excited to share some findings with you all along the way!