Summer 2025

Erik Ness
Professor & Director

Welcome to the first issue of our new quarterly newsletter, The Spirit of McBee. This phrase will no doubt sound familiar and likely brings to mind Louise McBee’s call “to pour back into the stream that nourished us—to replenish it for others.” In my first year as director, I am astounded by just how much pouring back I’ve seen. 

Faculty giving generously of time and insights to their advisees and students. Students supporting one another on their dissertations, class projects, and personal endeavors. Graduates stepping up in leadership and service roles for their campuses, organizations, and associations. Partners engaging with us to provide assistantship opportunities for our students. Donors answering the call on UGA’s Dawg Day of Giving. Staff members leading in often unseen ways to make all of our work possible. We have so many stories and accomplishments to share.

This publication is designed to keep you informed of and inspired by the work happening across the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education. We are not aiming to capture everything. Rather, we want to spotlight a few key events and accomplishments each quarter that reflect the energy and efforts of our community. In this issue, you’ll read about 2nd Annual Momentum & Barriers Symposium, the 30th anniversary of the Governor’s Teaching Fellows program, and the recent visit of Dr. Kim DuMont from the William T. Grant Foundation. These stories are just a glimpse into the exciting work being done by our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners. 

Thank you for your continued engagement and support. Please use the link in the Movers & Shakers section to share your latest professional milestones—we want to celebrate your successes. And if you have not done so already, consider following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to stay connected between issues. Thank you for being part of our community. We look forward to sharing more stories that embody the spirit of McBee in the months ahead.

In late March, the McBee Institute hosted its 2nd annual Momentum and Barriers Symposium. The 2025 theme, "Promoting the Value of Higher Education," served as a powerful platform for participants to share insights, identify challenges, and explore new opportunities to reinforce the value of higher education. Building on faculty research projects, doctoral special topics courses, and Institute partnerships, the McBee Institute was honored to host 16 speakers and more than 70 participants to consider student, state, and national perspectives and bolster efforts to strengthen public perceptions of higher education.   

The Governor's Teaching Fellows (GTF) program celebrated its 30th anniversary with a special reunion at Meigs Hall on
April 11, 2025. The event gathered more than 50 fellows, past and current, to celebrate the impact of the GTF program over its three decades of service.

On Monday, May 12, the McBee Institute of Higher Education welcomed Dr. Kim DuMont, Senior Vice President of Programs at the William T. Grant Foundation, for an engaging presentation on the Foundation’s mission and research funding opportunities.

The Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education is now accepting applications for both our Online Master's in Higher Education (M.Ed.) and Executive Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Management programs. Please share these calls for applications with colleagues and friends who may be interested in joining the McBee community!

Application Deadline:
July 1, 2025

Application Deadline:
September 15, 2025

We're always showcasing the McBee Institute's movers, shakers, and headline-makers!
Explore the latest achievements from our community.

Ginger Fay, current Ed.D. student, was recently named Vice President of Enrollment Management at Oglethorpe University, effective June 1, 2025.

Reporting directly to the president, Fay joins the Senior Administrative Leadership Team and is instrumental in developing and implementing strategies to attract and enroll a diverse and talented student body for Oglethorpe’s undergraduate and MBA programs. 

The McBee Institute of Higher Education is proud to spotlight Haixia Xu, PhD 2009. Dr. Xu is an McBee IHE graduate and two-time visiting scholar at the McBee Institute.

She is currently conducting research for the Chinese Ministry of Education's Digital Learning unit to learn more about the integration of digital technology in the classroom and it's impact on students as part of a government grant. 

Submit your professional milestones, new positions, awards, research or other recent accomplishments with us. Please use the link below to complete a short form where you can tell us more. We love celebrating our McBee community!

With the close of the academic year, the McBee Institute congratulates all of our doctoral graduates from the 2024 - 2025 academic year. We are so proud of you on this incredible accomplishment!

Emily Chen-Bendle

Ty Kunzman

Tori Tanner Grandstaff

Renni Turpin

Philip Adams

Ijaz Ahmad

Matt Grandstaff

✨  McBee Moments ✨

New graduates Emily Chen-Bendle and Ty Kunzman pose with a #McBeeGrad sign at the McBee Institute's year-end celebration.

Graduate students Rodrigo Guajardo, Renni Turpin, Carlie Cooper, Jolssen Rodriguez, and Collin Case (not pictured) receive awards at the 2025 Student Awards Luncheon.

McBee IHE students present research at the Opening Reception for the 2nd Annual Momentum & Barriers Symposium.

McBee staff attend the UGA Staff Appreciation Lunch at Stegeman Coliseum.

Associate Professor Jennifer Blaney and Postdoctoral Research Associate Kaitlyn Stormes attend the annual conference for the Council for the Study of Community Colleges and pose showcasing the McBee Institute as a sponsor of the annual meeting.

Faculty, staff, and students converse on the lawn in front of Meigs Hall during the McBee Institute's year-end celebration.

Graduate students from the College Choice, Access, and Success class pose with new graduate programs administrator Jad El Ladiki.