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I graduated from the higher, adult, and lifelong education (HALE) Ph.D. program at Michigan State University (MSU) in 2024. I began doctoral studies after working as a professional on postsecondary education campuses from 2008–19. I completed my M.Ed. at The University of Toronto–OISE while working full-time. My experiences as a student leader throughout my undergraduate degree—and my later engagement on campuses as a learner, educator, and administrator—informed my career path leading to my role as a faculty member at Laurier.
As a Canadian first-generation student, I started my postsecondary journey at Trent University where I completed my undergraduate degree. At Trent, I learned about student affairs and services while working in student leader roles within residence life and as an elected member of student government. After Trent, I began my career working in student affairs; first at Mount Royal University (2008–10), then at McMaster University (2010–13), and later at Toronto Metropolitan University until 2019. I left this phase of my career to begin full-time doctoral studies as an international student living in the United States (U.S.). After graduating from MSU, I worked as Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives at Niagara College before joining Laurier.
My research explores conditions of universities and colleges, particularly student affairs divisions, in both theory and practice. I also investigate the experiences of students and employees within universities and colleges. While student affairs divisions have been my 'home' on a campus, I equitably value and understand the importance and functions of executive leadership, academic affairs, research and innovation, administration and operations, advancement and external affairs, along with institutional governance.
I serve and have contributed to several professional associations relating to my academic work and my work as an administrator: The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE), College Student Educators International (ACPA), Canadian Association for College and University Student Services (CACUSS), Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA), and the Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers (OACUHO). I also serve as a reviewer for several national and international peer-reviewed academic journals.
Broadly, my research focuses on understanding the experiences of different populations engaging with and within universities and colleges. Specifically, I explore the characteristics and experiences of students accessing postsecondary education, as well as the administrators working within student affairs divisions on a campus.
Ultimately, my research aims to address 'real-world' problems affecting postsecondary education. My current projects center on factors influencing the work of administrators working within student affairs divisions, as well as the conditions of student affairs work 'today,' integrating both Canadian and U.S. perspectives. I most often engage qualitative research methodologies and methods. My latest publications and work under review applies either exploratory or explanatory case study design.
My goal is for my work to offer nuanced, comparative insights that support postsecondary educators, practitioners, and leaders. Overall, multiple perspectives inform my work: my identities and experiences, my familiarity from working on campuses having various institutional characteristics and employee groups, and my experiences working and studying in different locations in both Canada and the U.S.
My recent publications include an article focused on workplace satisfaction of midlevel student affairs administrators (Journal for Educational Human Resources), co-editing a volume focusing on applying critical ecological perspectives to understand student experiences in higher education environments (New Directions for Higher Education), a separate article exploring the perspectives of student leaders working with student affairs educators (New Directions for Student Leadership), and a book chapter focusing on reimagining Astin's Inputs, Environments, and Outcomes (I-E-O) model (1988, 1993) from the perspective of Asian international students studying on campuses in Canada. My dissertation research explored the workplace experiences of midlevel student affairs administrators from the lenses of different mindsets: thriving, resilience, and buoyancy.
See "Selected Publications" for examples of my scholarly contributions.
I’m looking forward to supervising graduate students focusing on research areas that I have expertise in. Please feel free to contact me to discuss your research interests.
- Smith, B. R. G. (2025). Understanding factors that influence workplace satisfaction of midlevel student affairs administrators. Journal of Educational Human Resources, 43(1). 164–182. https://doi.org/10.3138/08_Smith_3a_4
- Rosales J., Smith, B. R. G., Marin P. (2025). "We struggle to get a voice heard": The experiences of student leaders. New Directions for Student Leadership, 186. 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20664
- Smith, B. R. G. (2025). Project management in Nguyen, D.J., & Renn, K.A. (Eds.) Conducting high-quality longitudinal studies of college students: Considerations for design, analysis, and interpretation (pp. 167–179). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003504054
- Renn, K. A., Smith, B. R. G., Noble, C. E. (Eds.). (2024). New ecological systems approaches to understanding higher education. New Directions in Higher Education. 1–92. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20376
- Renn, K. A., Smith, B. R. G. (2024). Ecological models in higher education research: Overview and synthesis. In K. A. Renn, B. R. G. Smith, & C. E. Noble (Eds.), Innovating ecological models for higher education research. New Directions in Higher Education. 11–22. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20491
- Pang, G. & Smith, B. R. G. (2023). Studying in Canada while being an Asian international student: A review of barriers to the learning experience. In A. H. Kim, E. Buckner & J. M. Montsion (Eds.), Asian international students in Canadian universities: Internationalization, racialization and inclusion. 157–171. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/b23160-14
- Renn, K. A., & Smith, B. R. G. (2023). Creating and sustaining organizational change to promote college student persistence in natural and open systems. In R. D. Reason & J. Braxton (Eds.), Improving college student retention: New developments in theory, research, and practice. 211–233. Stylus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003445258
- Olson, T. H., Abrams, E., & Smith, B. R. G. (2022). Tearing it apart while holding it together: Using queer situated knowledges to navigate the paradoxes of institutional life. In A. Duran, T. J. Jourian, R. Miller, and J. Cisneros (Eds.), Narrating the insider/outsider paradox as LGBTQ+ educators in higher education and student affairs. Stylus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003255284
- Blalock, A. E., Smith, M. C., Patterson, B. R., Greenberg, A., Smith, B. R. G., Choi, C. (2021). “I might not fit that doctor image”: Ideal worker norms and women medical students. Medical Education, 56(3). http://doi.org/10.1111/medu.14709
- EU503: Learning Theories
- EU504: Quantitative Research Methods
- EU505: Qualitative Research Methods
- EU540: Contemporary Issues in Student Affairs in Higher Education
- EU541: Leadership in Student Affairs
- EU551: Development and Identity in Student Affairs
- EU597: Engaging in Research
- 2022 – College Students International (ACPA), Invited webinar for senior-level community of practice: Assessing and evaluating divisions of student affairs (Team; Invited)
- 2019 – Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers (OACUHO), Award of Excellence (Nominated/Selected)
- 2019 – Toronto Metropolitan University, Dr. Alan Shepard Administrative Award for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (Nominated/Selected)
- 2018 – Trent University, Alumni Award – “‘Young Leader’ for outstanding throughout first 10 years of alumni status” (Nominated/Selected)
- 2017 – Toronto Metropolitan University, “Make Your Mark” Administrative Award for Community Engagement (Team; Nominated/Selected)
- 2016 – OACUHO, Innovation & Vision of the Year (Team; Nominated/Selected)
- 2015 – Toronto Metropolitan University Students’ Union, Campus Partner of the Year (Selected)
- 2014 – OACUHO, President’s Award (Nominated/Selected)
- 2013 – OACUHO, Program of the Year (Team; Nominated/Selected)
- 2010 – NW-ACUHO, Case Study Competition Winner (Awarded)
- 2008 – Trent University, Alumni Affairs – Undergraduate Award of Excellence for Student Leadership (Nominated/Selected)
- 2021–24 – Michigan State University, Casmer F. Heilman Endowed Fellowship; Sheldon Cherney Endowed Scholarship (Applied; Selected)
- 2023 – Michigan State University, Dissertation Completion Fellowship (Competitive; Awarded)
- 2021, 2022 – Michigan State University, Summer Research Fellowship (Competitive; Awarded)
- 2020–21 – University Innovation Alliance & Carnegie Corporation of New York – Doctoral Student Research Fellow (Applied; Awarded)
- 2020 – Michigan State University, Summer Research Development Fellowship (Competitive; Awarded)
- 2019–20 – Michigan State University, Lorimer Fellowship (Selected)
Contact Info:
Office location: Bricker Hall
Office hours: By appointment; in-person or online.