Rate My Professor Laura Maki

Professor Laura Maki, Ed.D., is the Director of Assessment and Research in the College of Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In this capacity, she manages assessment methods, action-research informed program evaluation, and fosters partnerships and professional development initiatives. Her work supports the college's accreditation efforts, data analysis, and tools such as the Anthology Portfolio for faculty, supervisors, and mentor teachers. Located in AH 114B, she is accessible via phone at 507-389-5444. As a recognized faculty member in both undergraduate and graduate catalogs, Dr. Maki contributes to the academic mission through teaching and research in education.

Dr. Maki completed her Ed.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2015, with a dissertation titled 'A Grounded Theory of Women's Leadership Experiences in Higher Education: Navigating from the Director Level.' This study, conducted in the Department of Counseling and Student Personnel, utilized grounded theory to examine women's career identity development and navigation of institutional climates, identifying key experiences like setting boundaries, prioritizing values, and encountering blocked opportunities. Her earlier degrees include an M.A. and B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Dr. Maki's research interests encompass assessment methods, action-research informed program evaluation, and professional development partnerships. She has co-authored grant-funded projects, including 'Diversifying the School Counselor Pipeline' and 'Retaining Students of Color in Teacher Preparation Programs' with colleagues such as Tracy Peed, contributing to efforts enhancing diversity in educator pipelines. Additionally, she has presented on program accreditation and data decoding within the College of Education and supports Universal Design for Learning implementations.