Dr. Laura McCollum Named New Chair of Graduate Education Programs

Dr. Laura McCollum was appointed as the chair of graduate education programs at Cairn University in July 2018. Dr. McCollum comes to Cairn University from Trinity Christian School in Fairfax, VA, where she served as upper school principal and director for institutional effectiveness.
An avid equestrienne, Dr. McCollum realized her passion for education while coaching girls for high level hunter/jumper show competitions. This passion drove her to return to school, where she received her MSEd from Southern Oregon University, followed by her EdD in curriculum and instruction from Seattle Pacific University.
Dr. McCollum has extensive teaching experience in both on-ground and online instructional environments. She also has expertise in curriculum/program design, assessment/evaluation, and various levels and types of accreditation. She has served as both a teacher and an administrator in both public and private K-12 education, and she is certified at both the elementary and secondary levels in California, Oregon, and Washington State.
In addition, Dr. McCollum is a seasoned higher educational professional and administrator in higher education as well. She served as the director of assessment at Oklahoma-Wesleyan University, the regional chairman for all teacher education programs for National University in Redding, CA, and the academic dean and vice president for institutional effectiveness at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA.
Dr. McCollum will be joining her husband, Dr. Steven McCollum, who came to the University as the director of choral studies in 2017. The McCollums share a joint passion for higher Christian education, and Laura believes that the “School of Education is a perfect fit for me. I am really excited to be part of this scholarly, Christ-centered community.” In addition to administrative and teaching responsibilities, Dr. McCollum will be spearheading the exploration and development of additional graduate degree offerings.
To learn more about Dr. McCollum or the School of Education graduate programs, visit cairn.edu/education.