James Baldwin receives doctoral degree

James L. Baldwin, vice president for enrollment management at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, received his doctor of philosophy degree after successfully defending his dissertation at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Baldwin earned his doctorate in educational studies with a concentration in educational leadership and higher education. The purpose of his dissertation was to determine if distance from home affected the retention of traditionally aged, first-time, full-time students at Pitt-Bradford. He also analyzed whether a relationship existed between distance from home and retention when controlling for other factors, including gender, race or ethnicity; expected family contribution; parents' education levels; commuter vs. resident status; and SAT or ACT scores.

For his research, he examined retention for 2,837 first-year students enrolled at Pitt-Bradford during the fall semesters from 2005 through 2013.

Based on his results, Baldwin concluded there is no significant relationship between distance from home and retention. However, he pointed out that his research has practical implications for admissions officers, orientation planners, first-year experience planners, student support services personnel, and learning community practitioners.

This has been a noteworthy year for Baldwin. In addition to receiving his doctorate, he was promoted on July 1 to vice president for enrollment management, responsible for admissions, financial aid, student accounts, registrations, disability resources and services, academic advising, academic tutoring, TRIO Student Support Services, institutional research and Science in Motion. Previously, he had served as assistant dean of academic affairs, registrar and director of Science in Motion.

In 2009 Baldwin received the Chancellor's Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the University. The previous year he received Pitt-Bradford's Staff Association Staff Recognition Award for outstanding service to the campus and community.

Baldwin is a member of the Association for General and Liberal Studies, American Association of Collegiate Registrars Officers of Admission, EDUCASE, Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and Officers of Admission, National Academic Advising Association, National Association for Developmental Education, Society for College and University Planning, and the National Small College Enrollment Association.

Before coming to Pitt-Bradford in February 2000, he was registrar at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson and assistant registrar at Purchase College, State University of New York.

He holds a master's degree in student affairs in higher education and a bachelor's degree in music performance, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

He and his wife, Cathy, have two daughters and live in Bradford.