Mary Alice Snead Varga

Mary Alice Snead Varga is a Professor and Department Chair of Educational Research at the University of West Georgia’s College of Education. She holds a Master of Education from Western Carolina University and a Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Research from the University of Tennessee. Her career focuses on mentoring doctoral students in educational leadership and school improvement programs, while conducting research on college student grief/bereavement. She previously served as Shenandoah University’s Housing Coordinator and first Resident Director of Edwards Residential Village.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree from Shenandoah University
• M.Ed. in College Student Personnel, Western Carolina University
• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology & Research, University of Tennessee

Research Interests:

• Supporting practitioner-scholars in school improvement initiatives
• Understanding academic/personal impacts of student grief
• Higher education leadership development

Professional Philosophy: Emphasizes collaborative learning and holistic student development, modeling the mentorship received from Shenandoah’s Clarresa Morton. Current focus includes guiding doctoral committees and supervising faculty in research-driven educational leadership.