Ph.D. Alumna Named President of College of Mainland, Texas

This summer, Helen Brewer, Ph.D. '19, an alumna of the College of Human Development, Culture and Media, was named the president of Texas-based College of Mainland (COM) with a determination to create life-changing experiences through education for her students.

“It was almost unbelievable. This means the world to me, and I am deeply humbled to be in this role. Just a few days ago, I was walking around the COM campus and was struck by the realization that, as the daughter of immigrant parents from humble beginnings, I am now leading a college as president,” she said.

As a first-generation student, she graduated with a Ph.D. in education leadership, management and policy from Seton Hall in 2019. She says her time at the South Orange campus made all the difference in preparing her for a leadership role.

“In addition to exposing me to theory and the most current research in education, the program provided learning opportunities to give me a comprehensive understanding of how to think critically and to be able to make arguments based on qualitative and quantitative reasoning,” Brewer said.

Building on her professional foundation, Brewer notes that even before her doctoral studies, she had accumulated years of experience in higher education. However, she says having a doctorate provided the credential she needed to demonstrate academic training essential for leading institutions at a higher level.

“From the start of the program, the faculty created an environment where I felt I belonged and where there was no doubt that we were expected to complete the program. They had high expectations and offered a rigorous curriculum, and yet they were understanding about the pressures outside of school,” she stated.

Continuing her reflection, she acknowledges current and former faculty members such as Rong Chen, Ph.D.; Elaine Walker, Ph.D.; and Gerard Babo, Ed.D., for setting high standards and encouraging a healthy work-life balance.

“Chen was the most influential faculty member at Seton Hall who helped ensure I was prepared to conduct my study and complete the program within four years,” said Brewer. “She was so highly organized, and her feedback was focused on ensuring my research was sound and contributed to scholarly research.”

To motivate current students, Brewer encourages them to meet with leaders who hold positions they may be interested in and to learn about their career trajectory.

“Sometimes, I find that individuals who aspire to become leaders in higher education are more interested in holding a position rather than truly understanding the demands of leadership. They must ask themselves what the ‘why’ is behind their desire to grow in their field.”

Brewer also challenges emerging leaders to take the time to become knowledgeable about the field through research and exploration, by undertaking new projects or assignments, innovation and by expanding their network.

Turning to perspectives from her mentors, Chen, professor and director of the higher education graduate program, offered high praise for her former student and mentee, stating that Brewer demonstrated leadership in many ways during her time at Seton Hall. She said that excellence is not an act but a habit for Brewer, adding that her research demonstrated a strong passion for and dedication to improving equity in higher education, with a particular focus on supporting the success of underrepresented populations, including first-generation and Latino students.

“She pushed her limits and achieved an excellent dissertation by innovatively combining national survey data with institutional records, which provided new insights into community college student retention,” said Chen. “She was the first of my mentees to take such a unique and exemplary approach,” said Chen.

Brewer concludes that, “I am most proud of the example that this sets for other students with similar backgrounds like mine.”

Categories: Alumni