Kristen Renn

Dr. Kristen Renn is a Professor of Higher, Adult, & Lifelong Education (HALE) and Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair emerita at Michigan State University. She teaches courses on student development, diversity, and education research in the Student Affairs Administration MA and HALE MA/PhD programs. From 2013 to 2024, she served as Associate Dean and Senior Advisor to the Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education. Dr. Renn’s research focuses on student success, identity development, mixed-race students, women’s higher education globally, and LGBTQ issues. Supported by grants from the Spencer Foundation and others, she has led initiatives to increase success for low-income and underrepresented students. A past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, she has served as Associate Editor for the Journal of College Student Development and received multiple awards, including MSU’s William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award in 2024.