ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Shelia Higgs Burkhalter, vice president for student affairs at Winthrop University, will participate in a Nov. 3 webinar, alongside her sister, for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE).
The free webinar session, entitled “Leading with Soul: Sisters of the Academy/Leading at PWIs,” will feature Burkhalter and her sister, Belinda Higgs Hyppolite, the vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion/chief diversity officer, at the University of Oklahoma.
The sisters will share their journeys to executive leadership at predominately white institutions (PWIs) and how they strategically lead on their respective campuses. The wisdom shared in this session will benefit anyone working within higher education leadership who desires to embody authentic, impactful leadership. The speakers will share how leading with soul undergirds their leadership success, offer success strategies for creating inclusive spaces with a sense of belonging, and highlight pitfalls to avoid.
Burkhalter noted that she is looking forward to sharing this unique experience with her sister. “As women of color, first-generation college graduates, and preacher’s kids from small town America, my sister and I recognize the privilege and honor it is to serve in executive leadership roles on our respective campuses. It has been a true gift sharing this higher education leadership journey with my sister for over two and half decades. I am thrilled that NCORE has invited us to share the wisdom and insights gathered from our collective and individual experiences in this national forum,” said Burkhalter.
To participate in the free, 3 p.m. (CST)/4p.m. (EST) webinar, please register here. Registration closes Nov. 2.
Burkhalter joined Winthrop in July 2018 in her vice president role. Before arriving at Winthrop, she served as a student affairs professional in a wide range of roles, including her role as vice president of student affairs at the University of Baltimore. She also served as director of the first-year experience program at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, as the associate dean of students for campus involvement at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, as assistant director of student life at both Michigan State University and Loyola University (Baltimore), and as director of a living learning center and assistant coordinator for residential programs and services at Indiana University-Bloomington.
Burkhalter holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication and political science from Southeast Missouri State University, a master's degree in student affairs administration from Indiana University-Bloomington and an M.B.A. in management from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Burkhalter is also a certified executive and leadership transitions coach.
Hyppolite joined Oklahoma University in January 2020. In her 25-year career in higher education, she has served in a variety of leadership roles and responsibilities starting in student affairs, where she worked on retention for at-risk students. She continued her career in housing and residential life working with the residential student body.
Hyppolite holds two bachelor’s degrees in psychology and speech pathology, and two master’s degrees in counseling education and human resources, and a Doctorate of Education, with a specialization in professional leadership, inquiry, and transformation.
