Kelly Wesener Michael

Kelly Wesener Michael, Ed.D., is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education within the College of Education at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She joined the Higher Education and Student Affairs faculty in Summer 2020, bringing extensive experience from her leadership roles in student affairs administration at NIU.

Her educational background includes:

• Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Indiana University
• M.S. in College Student Personnel, Western Illinois University
• B.A. in Communication, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point

Dr. Wesener Michael's research and teaching focus on higher education administration, access to post-secondary education, and college student characteristics and participation patterns. Her expertise lies in organizational leadership, student support services, and strategic development in higher education. She has led transformative initiatives at NIU, including the restructuring of the Division of Student Affairs and large-scale capital projects.

Her administrative leadership has significantly shaped student affairs at NIU, including the creation of the Dean of Students role and the launch of the Center for Student Assistance as a one-stop support model. She has also contributed to national discourse through service on the Executive Team for APLU's Council on Student Affairs.

She has held key administrative roles at Northern Illinois University:

• Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs (2009–2017)
• Chief Student Affairs Officer (2017–2020)

Her scholarly work, while not detailed in publications here, centers on practical and policy-driven aspects of student affairs leadership, equity in access, and campus service innovation.

Dr. Wesener Michael is actively engaged in teaching and professional service. She mentors future higher education leaders through her courses and continues to influence the field through strategic planning and national involvement.