Having been a UWW student herself, Liz understands the challenges adult students face when they return to complete their degrees.
elizabeth brinkerhoff, senior lecturer
Elizabeth Brinkerhoff, a UWW alumna ('81), teaches and advises students at the UMass University Without Walls. In addition, she chairs the UWW Admissions Committee, representing the UWW perspective in this process.
She began working at UMass Amherst in 1984 as Registrar for Continuing Education and moved to UWW in 1991 as Admissions Coordinator. In 2004 she became the Program Manager for UWW's Paraprofessional Educator Licensure Program (ELP), teaching and advising students in ELP, and in 2009 she became a Senior Faculty member.
Liz's dissertation research in adult higher education examined factors that contribute to adult undergraduate success at UMass Amherst, and she also participated in a multi-site research project on adult student persistence completed by NEAR Net in 1999.
Having been an adult undergraduate student herself, Liz understands the challenges adult students face when they return to complete their degrees. She uses much of what she learned through her research to create and deliver rich and interesting courses, both live and online, in ways that support adult students.
educational background
- B.A., Counseling, University Without Walls, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- M.Ed., Higher Education Administration, Suffolk University
- Ed.D., Educational Policy, Research and Administration, University of Massachusetts Amherst
teaching and research interests
Adult undergraduate student persistence and adult learning styles.
