Scott Harrison
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA USA
"Doing what you love and enjoying getting up each morning and going to work is so much more rewarding over a 30+ year career than having to put up with a work environment you dread with a larger paycheck."
Career Roadmap
Scott's work combines: Education, Numbers, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Parkside High School
Bachelor's Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
Salisbury University
Graduate Degree
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Old Dominion University
Doctorate
Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
Old Dominion University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Associate Vice President for Administration:
Bachelor's Degree: Business Administration and Management, General
Graduate Degree: Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Doctorate: Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Thought I was going to own a business, so I got an undergraduate degree in business with a concentration in management.
2.
Realized it was not the business so much as the people in the business that was of interest to me. Picked up an undergraduate degree in psychology.
3.
Realized there was a graduate degree in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology, combining how people function effectively in a business environment.
4.
While obtaining my master's degree in I/O psychology, I was a graduate assistant in the Dean of Students office and fell in love with higher education administration.
5.
Had the good fortune to get a full-time job in the Student Activities Office and started working on my Ph.D. in higher education administration.
6.
I had amazing mentors and supervisors who saw and encouraged my talents. Having a hobby of messing with technology, I had the opportunity to be selected as the Director of IT for Student Affairs.
7.
Additional responsibilities were added to my portfolio and I eventually became the Assistant Dean for Administration.
8.
Ultimately my position was expanded in responsibilities and I am now the Associate Vice President for Administration in Student Engagement & Enrollment Services.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
You'll never make much money in higher education.
How I responded:
Doing what you love and enjoying getting up each morning and going to work is so much more rewarding over a 30+ year career than having to put up with a work environment you dread with a larger paycheck.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask peers, administrators, and instructors anytime you are unsure of direction. You will be surprised how helpful those around you will be if you just ask for assistance.