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Education Faculty & Staff Directory

First Name
Karyn
Last Name
Rabourn
Photo
6387EC92-0053-B3AB-DC43EAB7FB139980.jpg
Photo URL
, Profile Photo
Role(s)
Associate Professor
Office Address
330C DeVos
Office Phone
616-331-6591
Department
Educational Leadership and Counseling
Program
CSAL/Adult and Higher Education
About

Dr. Rabourn joined GVSU in August 2015. She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education, and M.S. in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University. Dr. Rabourn completed her Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University (IU) in the summer of 2016. Her research interests include higher education finance, assessment of student affairs practice, and access, persistence and retention of non- or post-traditional and historically underrepresented students. Her dissertation focused on beginning college student attitudes towards student loan borrowing and debt and she looks forward to connecting information learned about students’ attitudes to actual borrowing behavior. At IU, Dr. Rabourn worked for the Center of Postsecondary Research with the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Project for Academic Success and served as an assessment consultant to the Division of Student Affairs. Prior to doctoral programming, Dr. Rabourn worked at the University of Pittsburgh and Michigan State University within residential life, with a focus on recruitment, selection, and training of professional, graduate, and undergraduate staff members.

Teaching Areas
  • Adult and Higher Education
  • College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL)
Degrees
  • Ph.D., Indiana University
  • M.A., Michigan State University
  • B.A., Michigan State University
Academic & Professional Activities

Dr. Rabourn has taught the following courses:

  • EDH 647: Theories of College Student Development
  • EDH 648: The Adult Learner
  • EDH 651: Higher Education and Student Affairs Functions
  • EDH 652: The American College Student
  • EDH 653: Administration of Student Affairs Programs
  • EDH 654: Student Affairs and the Law
  • EDH 657: The Community College
  • EDH 658: Critical Issues in Higher Education
  • EDH 685/EDH 686: Practicum/Internship

In addition, Dr. Rabourn has advised master’s projects and theses for EDH 693/EDH 695.

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Page last modified August 6, 2026