JIM WOODELL

I am currently a candidate for a Ph.D. in Higher Education at Penn State University, the #1 ranked Higher Education program in U.S. New and World Report's Best Graduate Schools. My research focus is on the interaction of postsecondary education and public policy institutions. I am particularly interested in public research universities shape their "fourth mission" of economic engagement in response to regional, state, and federal economic development policy. I also have interests in higher education policy related to assessment and accountability, and technology and distance learning.

Prior to beginning doctoral study, I worked in distance education, instructional media, and e-learning for nearly 20 years. My experience ranges from the design and production of video for training, to coordinating the distribution of satellite-based videoconferences, to the development of online courses for teachers. I was a college teacher and administrator for ten years, including managing a large-scale distance learning program for a New England university and serving as Dean of Academic Technology and Distance Learning at a Boston-area community college.