Stavroula S. Erfourth, PhD

Title: Adjunct Faculty

Programs/Classes Taught:

• HED 630

Areas of Expertise: Academic and Student Affairs

Biography: I recently completed my PhD in Higher, Adult, & Lifelong Education (Educational Administration) at Michigan State University. Throughout my program, I kept my job at Baker College in Michigan where I serve as the Director of Academic Affairs for one of ten campuses, as well as on the Institutional Effectiveness team specializing in IPEDs data as the Institutional Keyholder. I have worked at Baker since 2003 where I began as an adjunct instructor and in student services where eventually I came to oversee all of the student and support services of the campus. In 2014, I moved into academic affairs where I got to use my experience and training in working with instructors on quality teaching and learning experiences for their students both face-to-face and online. Before moving into higher education, I was a secondary teacher. Teaching and quality learning environments were and still are my passion. At Baker, I have had the privilege to work with teachers in training, working on their certification. 

This led very naturally to my research interests for my doctoral work. I found myself concerned with issues at the intersection of secondary and postsecondary work, especially issues of college access for underserved student populations, college and career readiness, students in poverty, rural education. For my dissertation, through qualitative inquiry, I sought to better understand the motivating factors that lead rural high school students from under-resourced areas to college earlier, specifically through early college programs. Dual enrollment programs (early college is one) are growing quickly and I believe we need to better understand the students that take advantage of the opportunities to get ahead. I believe I am only at the beginning of this work.

Education:

• PhD Higher, Adult and Lifelong Learning - Michigan State University
• MA Liberal Studies in American Culture - University of Michigan
• BA English - Michigan State University

Research and Interests: I identify as a lifelong learner and teacher. As someone who has trained future teachers and now supports those in postsecondary classrooms, in my classroom we spend loads of time considering things meta-cognitively. One the one hand, you are students in this class, but simultaneously you are professionals, looking to grow in some way or make a change. Both of these identities are important and I will ask you to reflect on each often. Your experience will make your work as an administrator or faculty that much richer. My teaching philosophy is one of modeling discovery. I will learn from you-what you want from this class, from me, and each other-and I will use my experience and resources to help you discover the link to the next piece or next level. As an administrator, I subscribe to a servant leadership method, which means that I make it my job to make sure you can do your job. That applies to my teaching as well.

Contact Information:

• Email - sefourth@nl.edu