Name: Garrett Payne (he/him)
Undergraduate Education: Bachelor of Arts in Government & International Affairs (Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA); Associate of Science in Health Sciences (Three Rivers College, Poplar Bluff, Montana, USA); Associate of Applied Science in Intelligence Operations Studies (Cochise College, Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA)
Area(s) of Campus Involvement: Previous Student-Athlete (Baseball); Current ROTC
E-mail: gpayne@cub.uca.edu
Q: What are your current career plans upon having completed your Master of Science in College Student Personnel Administration?
A: “Following completion of the program, I plan on commissioning into the United States Army.”
Q: What inspired you to enter the field of higher education as a future career?
A: “I love being a part of a team and community. I want to be a member of an organization that is service-driven, and I think higher education provides that opportunity.”
Q: What is your favorite class in the CSPA program, and why?
A: “My favorite class is History of Higher Education. I love to understand how the past influences the present and figure out the ‘why’ in our traditions.”
Q: Share one experience in the CSPA program that you have enjoyed.
A: “I really enjoy the cohort model and the enriching environment it creates in the classroom. It creates a space representative of the kind we will work with in the future.”
Q: What have you learned about yourself through your time at UCA and the CSPA program?
A: “My time at UCA and in the program has reinforced my decision to attend UCA and the CSPA program. Hindsight is 20/20, and I would choose this program and school again if I had the chance.”
Q: What advice would you share with people interested in studying about and receiving training in higher education?
A: “Do it! If you are unsure about what you want to do but you know you want to help others and be a part of a community, higher education is the place for you.”