
Dr. Howard received her B.A. in Sociology from Montclair State University. She earned a M.S. in Sociology and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Howard joined the University of South Florida as the Assistant Dean for Upper-Level Initiatives in the Office of Undergraduate Studies the fall of 2017. She previously held positions in higher education with Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Commonwealth University, and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. Her professional experience over the last 15 years in the areas of student success, structural reorganization, and strategic planning contribute to meeting institutional goals and, above all, supporting students.
Dr. Howard is a proud first generation college graduate who had a positive transformative undergraduate experience, which has influenced her approach to student success. She fosters a student centered environment to enhance engagement and connectedness. Her personal approach to student support is holistic. Dr. Howard purposefully seeks to understand the whole student, especially underrepresented and marginalized populations (both clearly visible and non-visible) in order to guide their academic and personal goals pre and post-graduation.