Chelsea Fancher is pursuing her EdD in Higher Education Administration through The University of Alabama Online. She is also a program manager for UA Online, working with the College of Education to support the development and delivery of online programs. With a commitment to advancing her career in higher education, Chelsea has embraced this opportunity to advance her education and grow professionally. “The program’s three-year timeline lined up well with where I was headed,” she said.
Chelsea is currently in the dissertation phase of the program, balancing her doctoral coursework with her work responsibilities at UA Online and her personal life. As program manager, Chelsea coordinates with other departments and teams, including marketing, recruitment, student success and instructional design. Her insights as both a student and an employee provide her with a unique perspective. Away from work, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her husband, Andy, who is also a current student at The University of Alabama, and their Australian Shepherd, Newton.
The couple met before Chelsea began her master’s program at the Capstone and have supported each other throughout their educational journeys. Chelsea reflected on an upcoming holiday weekend saying, “We are going to the football game home opener this weekend against my alma mater [Western Kentucky University], but I also know it’s a long weekend. It’s Labor Day. I will be spending all of my other time writing this weekend, but I’ve worked all week to take those few hours to enjoy the football game and then come right back home,” illustrating her dedication to balancing her academic and personal life.
One of Chelsea’s favorite classes in the Higher Education Administration program was one of her first courses, AHE 640 Organizational Change, taught by Dr. Tonjanita Johnson. “That is where I actually found the case I’m working on for my dissertation,” Chelsea said. “We had to pick a case and apply the theories we studied. It opened my eyes to a new perspective – I was like, ‘Oh, this is really interesting.’” Chelsea also enjoyed AHE 560 Comparative Higher Education, which included a week-long study abroad trip to the University of Oxford in England. “We were able to learn how the UK higher education system functions and compare that to what we’d already learned in our first year and a half of this program,” Chelsea said. This is a unique and standout opportunity for students in this program to deepen their understanding of higher education in a fully immersive experience.
The EdD in Higher Education Administration (Executive Cohort) program through UA Online follows a cohort model, where students complete each course together. Chelsea’s cohort includes 12 students from Alabama and neighboring states, a structure that fosters a collaborative learning environment and vibrant academic community. “It’s a built-in support system of people who get it … they’re in the classes with you — it’s that different kind of supportive understanding and knowing, and camaraderie in the stressful times,” said Chelsea. The cohort members all come together once a month throughout the first two years for in-person class sessions and discussions that complement their online coursework.
Moreover, Chelsea has taken advantage of educational benefits, grants and scholarships offered by The University of Alabama, including the Build on Bama tuition grant offered exclusively by UA Online. As a previous graduate of The University of Alabama, she qualified for the grant, which covered the tuition cost of her first 3-credit-hour course. She said, “Those little bits along the way have really made a difference for the financial commitment that our family had to make for progressing my education as well as my husband’s.”
Chelsea’s academic journey has equipped her with a diverse set of skills and knowledge. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Western Kentucky University, along with a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Alabama. Prior to enrolling in the doctoral program, she completed a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution offered through UA Online. With a commitment to fostering student success and her experience working with UA Online, Chelsea is well-prepared to contribute positively to the higher education landscape.
Published: November 4th, 2024