Leanne L. Newman, Ed.D.
Lecturer
Dr. Leanne Lewis Newman is a lecturer in the Higher Education/Student Affairs (HESA) master’s degree program in Educational Administration. A 1985 (B.A. Journalism) Baylor undergraduate, Dr. Newman earned her master’s (1995) and doctorate degrees (1998) from the University of Louisville in Counseling and College Student Development. Capitalizing on her many years of both professional and teaching experience in higher education, Dr. Newman has led in multiple facets of the higher education experience. Her professional administrative experience extends from institutional development (Baylor) and annual giving (SBTS) to residence life (Baylor) and ultimately to becoming Director of Student Life at Palm Beach Atlantic University. While at University of Louisville, she began her teaching career in HESA before moving to Baylor in the fall of 2002. She primarily teaches the courses on College Student Development Theory I, II, and III. She also teaches the freshman-level Intro to Leadership class through the department’s minor in Leadership Development Studies.
Dr. Newman’s significant and broad-ranging experience lends itself to the study of human and student development theory. As the Director of Student Life at Palm Beach Atlantic, she created from scratch a student life experience with programs and events that are still current on that campus. Most notably, the new student orientation program she implemented remains much the same 26 years later, as well as other celebrated campus traditions. Her experience as an undergraduate at Baylor and work at PBA led to her dissertation research and current agenda: the freshman year experience, faith development, general student development theory application, as well as the effect of development on multicultural and social class structure.
She has published and presented through the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), Association for College Personnel Administrators (ACPA), and Southern Association for College Student Administrators (SACSA). She earned the Graduate Dean’s Citation Award upon completion of her doctorate and was awarded the Dissertation of the Year Award from SACSA.
Dr. Newman also values her commitment to local Waco community service. She served on PTA boards consecutively for 15 years, as President four different years; National Charity League; Waco Symphony Council; and sings in her church choir.