Office Hours with John Gardner
We are searching for big ideas that inspire hope and action in higher education around institutional transformation and innovation to advance student success and more equitable student outcomes. Joining John Gardner are higher education leaders and other relevant persons of interest who will discuss innovation and strategies that improve higher education.The Gardner Institute, a 24-year-old non-profit, has been at the forefront of innovation in higher education; our mission very clearly connects us to the broader societal efforts to increase social justice.The Gardner Institute connects with thousands of professionals in the higher education ecosystem; through a wide array of activities such as Transformative Conversations, the Teaching and Learning Academy, and the Socially Just Design Series, and through our work as an Intermediary for Scale supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As a leader in the student success movement in higher education, we strive to provide support for institutions interested in social justice and institutional transformation.
Office Hours with John Gardner
Episode 4 - Kristen Turner A Bold New Direction in College Financial Aid
Dr. Kirsten Turner serves as the Vice President for Student Success, a role that positions her as the institution’s chief student affairs officer and a leading advocate for student development. A leader with a long tenure at the University of Kentucky, she transitioned to her current role after serving in multiple associate provost roles and as one of the institution’s leading architects of strategies to improve retention and graduation rates. Prior to joining the provost’s office, Turner began her career at UK as an assistant dean and chief of staff in the College of Arts and Sciences.
As a member of President Capilouto’s leadership team, Turner is committed to a student-first philosophy. Her portfolio includes areas that span the full range of student experience: from recruitment to graduation and beyond.
Turner earned her Ph.D. at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education in the Center for the Study of Higher Education. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a bachelor’s degree from Hanover College.