The Higher Education program provides numerous opportunities for students to develop as equity-minded student affairs and higher education professionals. 

Orientation
New graduate students participate in an orientation session. Students not only become familiar with the Grand Valley campuses in Allendale and Grand Rapids but also get to meet other graduate students in the program. Orientation covers academic and assistantship expectations. 

• August 2025
  More Details Coming Soon
   

2024-2025 Monthly Professional Development Workshops

• Thursday, September 5, 2024 
  Time Management and Practicing Self-Care, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM; KC 2263
  Campus Partners: Student Academic Success Center & University Counseling Center
   
• Thursday, October 3, 2024
  Speed Networking & Making Connections, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM; KC 2204
  Campus Partners, Division of Student Affairs, Assistantship Departments, and Alumni
  Please RSVP for this event Here

• Thursday, October 17, 2024
  Bring your own lunch and hear from with student affairs professionals, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM, KC 2215/2216
   
• Tuesday, October 29, 2024
  Rise and Shine Breakfast with Dr. Jenny Hall-Jones, Vice President for Student Affairs
  9:00 AM - 10:30 AM; KC 2259
  Please RSVP for this event here with your GVSU credentials. 
   
• Thursday, November 7, 2024
  Graduate-level Writing and Professional Communication, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, KC 2263

• Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 12:00 p.m.
  Lauren King Thesis Proposal Defense (Zoom Link) 
   
• January 2025
  Mock Interviews

• February 2025
  Attending and Presenting at Conferences

• March 2025
  Demystifying the Job Search Process
   

2024 - 2025 Professional Development Conferences

ACPA - Michigan
October 14, 2024
Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor, MI

NASPA IV-E Regional Conference
October 26-29, 2024
Cleveland, Ohio

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) Annual Conference
November 6-7, 2024
Mt. Pleasant, MI

ACPA
February 16-19, 2025
Long Beach, CA

NASPA
March 15-19, 2025
New Orleans, LA

Capstone Presentations 
Each April and December, graduating students are invited to present the findings of their Master's Project or Thesis to the campus community. This is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to share their research findings and other scholarly pursuits with colleagues in an informal yet engaging format.

• Friday, December 6, 2024
  11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, KC 1104
• Thursday, April 24, 2025
  2:00 PM - 5:00 PM, KC 2263