Program Faculty

Brian Bourke, Ph.D., is a professor and Program Coordinator in the Higher Education and Student Affairs master's program, as well as the undergraduate minor in Higher Education. He teaches courses on research methods and assessment, student characteristics and development, and student affairs practice. Through his scholarship, Brian explores issues pertaining to the experiences of students of color in predominantly White institutions, and the evolution of professional values in student affairs. His book, Integrating Social Justice into Student Affairs, was published by Routledge in May 2024. Prior to joining the professoriate in 2007, Brian worked in residence life for several years.

Dr. Ben Littlepage is a Professor of the Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program at Murray State University. Prior to becoming a faculty member, Dr. Littlepage was a higher education administrator for nine years at three different institutional types: state-assisted regional university, private liberal-arts college, and community and technical college. Functional areas for which he has administrative experience include academic advising, academic affairs, admissions and records, alumni relations, annual giving, career counseling, and first-year experience. His expertise lies in operationalizing and redefining functional units. His current research focus is first-generation students. Ben Littlepage received his Ed.D. (’12) from the University of Memphis, and M.A.E. (’04) and B.S. (’02) from Western Kentucky University.