Life in Higher Ed
Welcome to Life in Higher Ed. We are senior higher education administrators and combined we have over 50 years of experience. We are here to talk about what goes on behind the scenes on college and university campuses. We surface the interesting, the confounding, and the seemingly absurd, and we do so with honesty and a sprinkling of humor. We want to help you not only survive but thrive and to know that you are not alone in your journey. If you are an administrator in higher ed or considering becoming an administrator, this podcast is for you!
Life in Higher Ed
Student success; everyone's responsibility - Bernie Savarese
In this episode, Dr. Bernie Savarese, vice president for Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success at the University of Tennessee System, talks about the shared responsibility of student engagement for positive outcomes.
"Student success it is about more than just metrics, it is about life, families, dreams and communities".
Bernie Savarese, EdD, MBA
Dr. Bernie Savarese, vice president for Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success, joined the University of Tennessee System in 2021. In this role, he convenes and works closely with the chief academic, research, and student affairs officers of the UT campuses. He also serves as the liaison to various state agencies and departments, and staffs the Education, Research, and Service Committee of the Board of Trustees.
From 2017 to 2021, Dr. Savarese served as the assistant vice president for Student Success and the Student Experience at New York University (NYU). There, he oversaw the creation of the Division of Student Success, led the university’s Student Success Steering Committee, and served as a subject matter expert to university leaders on the New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai campuses. Before joining NYU, Dr. Savarese worked at Ohio State University for almost two decades, most recently directing
the campus’ nationally recognized First Year Experience (FYE) program and serving on the leadership team in the Division of Enrollment Management. Before his time in FYE, he held various leadership roles across the Division of Student Affairs.
Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Dr. Savarese grew up in the Appalachian region of eastern Ohio. He received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and an MBA from Ohio State University, a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University, and his Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation from New York University.
Resources:
Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success 2nd Edition (2022) by Tia Brown McNair, Susan Albertine, Nicole McDonald, Thomas Major, Jr, and Michelle Asha Cooper
Thriving in Transitions: A Research-Based Approach to College Student Success 2nd Edition (2020) by Laurie A. Schreiner (Editor), Michelle C. Louis (Editor), and Denise D. Nelson (Editor)
