Alexei G. Matveev
Alumnus - Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Planning and Leadership
Current Position:
Director, Office of Quality Enhancement & Critical Thinking Studies, Norfolk State University
Matveev on the Higher Education Program:
"William & Mary's program in higher education administration has a small, yet diverse, student population with various academic and professional backgrounds. The program's reputation and rigor attracts a spirited student body who contribute to developing a community of intellectual inquiry and engaged collegiality. The unique discourse that results from such a group of graduate students often leads to rich discussions, fresh insights, and innovative applications.
The program's curriculum exposes students to a variety of current issues in U.S. and international higher education, which students are able to tailor to their own academic interests and professional career plans. Although broad in scope and practice-oriented in nature, the curriculum is firmly anchored in solid social science disciplinary paradigms thus creating intentional and coherent program progression paths for students.
Faculty members, the major strength of the program, are true teacher-scholars committed to providing students with authentic academic experiences. The student/faculty dynamic at William & Mary is not simply that of teacher and student; faculty are genuinely interested in students as rising scholars and potential colleagues. Consequently, students view faculty as mentors and senior colleagues. Students are encouraged to pursue independent research and are often engaged in joint scholarly projects with faculty.
The program is dedicated to providing students with disciplinary knowledge, practical skills, and scholarly insight thus building a solid foundation for graduates to succeed in the profession and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of higher education."
