Who Should Join?
The Graduate Network serves all those working in the graduate education space, and the following individuals especially may find value in the conversations and connections:
- Senior leaders charged with driving strategy pertaining to graduate education for their institution
- Team members responsible for recruiting and retaining online, adult, and professional graduate students
- Professionals engaged in designing and developing innovative graduate and professional education programs for post-baccalaureate students
- Those working in employer engagement and workforce training development
- Deans
- Provosts
- Directors
- Managers
- Vice Presidents
- Coordinators
- Academic Technologists
- Faculty
- ...and all other interested UPCEA Members!
Join the Discussion
Log in to CORe, UPCEA's member community and online networking space where you can ask, answer or search for questions on relevant topics. Get advice, answers and ideas from your colleagues online via CORe, UPCEA's professional networking platform.
Your membership gives you full access to:
- Active conversations, and the chance to ask your questions in real time
- Robust search of conversation archive
- A diverse resource library to support your professional development
- UPCEA's entire member directory
- Exclusive member content -- including benchmarking studies, conference session slides, and webinar recordings
Attend Network Events
The Graduate Network curates webinars and coffee chats throughout the year, on a number of topics related to the work of the Network. Check out the event page linked below and keep an eye out for our upcoming events.
About UPCEA Networks
Today, the field of professional, continuing, online education is characterized by engagement in very complex, highly specialized areas of practice. UPCEA’s nine Networks are designed to serve professionals practicing in these key areas by fostering professional growth, enhancing leadership, and offering valuable networking and community service opportunities within this vibrant and growing sector of higher education.
Networks are open to any UPCEA Member. Members can join any one (or multiple) of these networks by logging in to their profile, going down to My Networks + Committees then click "Browse Networks + Committees". Select the network you would like to join, and click "Join this Network/Committee".
Volunteer and grow as a leader, presenter, or mentor.
Take an active role in your membership! Members are encouraged to serve as volunteer leaders. There are many ways to get involved! Click below and let us know how you'd like to volunteer with UPCEA.
Have a question about the Network? Ask a volunteer leader!
UPCEA Network Leadership is composed of UPCEA members who serve in these roles. Below you can find a current listing of this year's network leadership team. To learn more about becoming a volunteer, click here.
2026-2027
Leadership Team
Wendy Boland
CHAIR
American University
[email protected]
Cheri DeClercq
CHAIR ELECT
Michigan State University
[email protected]
Benjamin Brand
VICE CHAIR, ANNUAL CONFERENCE
University of North Texas
[email protected]
Nancy Prater
VICE CHAIR, AWARDS
Ball State University
[email protected]
Jonathan Orsini
CO-VICE CHAIR, COMMUNICATIONS
University of Florida
[email protected]
Minh Tran Virasak
CO-VICE CHAIR, COMMUNICATIONS
Santa Clara University
[email protected]
Heather McCullough
VICE CHAIR, ENGAGEMENT & OPPORTUNITY
University of North Carolina System Office
[email protected]
Kristin Marengo
VICE CHAIR, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
[email protected]
George Irvine
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
University of Delaware
[email protected]
Jonathan Small
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
[email protected]
Maddi Wiersema
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
Iowa State University
[email protected]
Melanie Butler
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
Mount St. Mary's University
[email protected]
Nancy Ludwig
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
[email protected]
Miruna Buta
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
University of Washington
[email protected]
Renee Pfeifer-Luckett
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point
[email protected]
Sarah McDonald
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
James Madison University
[email protected]
Steve Wicks
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
University of Minnesota
[email protected]
Tommy Raimondi
VICE CHAIR, AT-LARGE
Ohio University
[email protected]
Get Involved with UPCEA
Professional development isn't just about attending sessions. Get involved with UPCEA to meet members from other institutions, share the great work your institution is doing, and hone your own skills. From submitting a session proposal for a conference or an article for a publication to serving as a volunteer on a conference planning committee, there are as many ways to engage with us!
