Lisa Azure is currently the vice president of Academic Affairs at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) in Bismarck, North Dakota. Lisa oversees all academic and certificate programs, institutional research, enrollment services (admissions, financial aid, and registrar), and career, transfer, and retention services. Lisa has been employed at UTTC for 30 years and in her current position for eight years. She began her career at UTTC as a teacher at the elementary school on campus and transferred to the Teacher Education department at the college in 2000. As Teacher Education chair, she led the college in becoming accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the state of North Dakota to offer its first baccalaureate degree in 2011. She is a peer reviewer for the HLC.
Examples of initiatives Lisa and her team have implemented the past eight years include curriculum refinement in mathematics and writing, revamp of the student first-year experience, culturally responsive teaching training for faculty, strategic enrollment management planning, and revision of the institutional learner outcomes and performance indicators. She is also a member of the three-person team that created the early alert system at UTTC that has resulted in increased retention and completion rates.
Education:
Ph.D. (Teaching and Learning)|University of North Dakota
M.Ed. (Special Education)|University of North Dakota
B.S. (Elementary Education & Early Childhood Education)|University of MA
Past Experience:
Vice President of Academic Affairs | United Tribes Technical College
Teacher Education Chair | United Tribes Technical College
Kindergarten Teacher | United Tribes Technical College (campus elementary school)
Second Grade Teacher | Fort Yates Public School
Head Start Supervisor/Teacher | Standing Rock Head Start
How has education changed your life/your family?
I was a first-generation college student and work at an institution with 70%–80% of the student body identifying as first-generation. I returned to college at age 32, with three young children, after my husband was in an accident that left him permanently disabled. Had it not been for the accident, I may not have returned to college and be in the position I am today. I am fulfilled and encouraged by our students’ successes, humbled by their strength and resilience, and committed to ensuring the institution provides them with whatever they need to achieve their goals.