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Mt. Fuji


Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Sherry is currently seeking her PhD in educational psychology and research, with a concentration in the Evaluation, Statistics and Measurement (ESM) program. Originally from Kelso, WA, she received her BA in social science at Washington State University and her MPA in public administration at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She came to UT Knoxville, and joined EPC, in 2013. We asked her to reflect on some past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Awards

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Travel Scholarship. Scholarship to attend annual meeting titled Higher Education at the Crossroads: Pathways to Equity and Excellence. 2016

Accomplishments

Nadel, S. & Marlow Ormsby, S. (2016, November). When an apple a day isn’t good enough: Designing a healthcare survey for rural populations. Paper for the International Conference on Questionnaire Design, Development, Evaluations, and Testing; Miami, FL.

Marlow Ormsby, S. & Cisney-Booth, A. (2016, October). Deepen your understanding using evaluative rubrics as a tool for evaluation capacity building. Skill Building Workshop for Paper for the annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association; Atlanta, GA.

Holcombe, J.M., Cowden, C. & Marlow Ormsby, S. (2016, October). Evaluation capacity building: Using problem based learning to develop critical thinking. Skill Building Workshop for Paper for the annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association; Atlanta, GA.

Marlow Ormsby, S. (2016, July). Employee engagement in higher education. Paper for the International Congress of Psychology; Yokohama, Japan.

Marlow Ormsby, S. (2016, July). Tennessee promise and first time freshman persistence scale: Understanding persistence at community colleges. Paper for the International Congress of Psychology; Yokohama, Japan.

Hiked Mt. Fuji while in Japan for the International Congress of Psychology Congress in 2016.

Current Occupation

Director of Measurement and Evaluation
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Office of Planning, Evaluation & Institutional Research

Personal Interests

I enjoy traveling with my husband, family, and friends. In addition to experiencing the culture and customs, I love to seek out adventure through hiking, white water rafting, and other outdoor activities. My fur baby, Morpheus, accompanies my on most journeys as well. To recharge my batteries, sun and sand is a must!

Future/Vocational Goals

First and foremost, I anticipate graduating in May 2017. Then, I’d like to continue my career working in Institutional Effectiveness advancing skills and gaining experience.

What sold you on this program?

The one thing that sold me on the ESM program is the diversity of skills learned that can be applied in a multitude of sectors. I have had the opportunity to deepen my understanding and abilities in statistics, obtain proficiency in measurement, and expand evaluation techniques. The full compliment has enabled me to obtain employment in my chosen field.

What would you tell an incoming student who joins the program/department?

My advice to any new incoming student, in the ESM or any other graduate program, would be to try to find a work-life balance early in their program. Schedule time for yourself and not just school and work obligation.