The last Woman to Watch at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is Dr. Sharonda Lipscomb, director of online learning, where she is responsible for overseeing more than 70 online programs, minors, and certificates along with a great team of professionals (nine employees and two graduate assistants) dedicated to ensuring quality online education.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I have three children, and I am married to my high school sweetheart. The highlight of our life is my grandchildren. Wednesday is Sha-Sha Day, which is what my grandchildren call me. I love gardening, traveling, and going to the beach. I am an outdoors person, so I enjoy being in the yard landscaping. I also have a fascination with clouds and love lying in my backyard hammock for hours. I find wind chimes and their calming sound especially relaxing.

What is your current position and professional duties at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

I am the director of online learning, which means overseeing all aspects of online education on campus, including the management and onboarding of online programs and the management of Blackboard. My role also involves faculty training and support for Blackboard, integrating technology into instruction, and ensuring that students have a smooth and successful online learning experience. Additionally, I work closely with the Instructional Design Team to maintain quality assurance in our online programs. I report to the provost鈥檚 office to ensure that our work aligns with the broader campus mission of supporting student and faculty success.

What brought you to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

Years ago, I started at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as a freshman, but as a young mother and new wife, it was too much to balance. I am a first-generation, nontraditional student, and I returned about 13 years later to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration. I developed a love for online learning and wanted to improve the experience for online students. That led me to complete my bachelor’s degree and pursue master degrees in Learning Technology Education (LSTE)  and Adult Education.

That experience deepened my passion for helping online students. As a graduate assistant, I had an excellent advisor who helped shape my vision and career path. I was eventually offered a part-time position in STAR, then moved into a Blackboard student support role, and later became an instructional designer. I realized I could make a real impact at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock by training faculty in best practices for online instruction and learning management systems.

I had the opportunity to work with Dr. David Montague in a leadership role, and when he transitioned to the provost鈥檚 office, I was a natural fit to take over for him. I initially planned to pursue a faculty position after earning my Ph.D., but this role has allowed me to expand my impact on students across the university. I鈥檓 excited about the future of online education at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

What are some of the exciting projects you are working on at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

The main project right now is the transition to Blackboard Ultra, which we expect to complete by fall 2025. This initiative allows us to integrate quality assurance standards into the transition process. We鈥檙e holding faculty meetings to ensure they understand the platform and how to use it effectively to enhance student learning.

Ultimately, it鈥檚 about the students. If we don鈥檛 have students, we don鈥檛 have a job. We want to excel in providing an engaging, meaningful online learning experience. Engaging with students helps improve retention and success rates. Our goal is to make a lasting impact on their educational journey while positioning 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as a leader in online education.

What woman has inspired you the most and why?

My grandmother worked her entire life and always emphasized that we can do whatever we set our minds to, but we should also strive to make a difference in the lives of others. Her example has shaped my approach to work and life, always bringing me back to one question: How can I improve the experience of online students?

I would also say Dr. Montague鈥檚 mother Raye Montague has been incredibly inspirational to me over the past 10 years. Seeing how her story continues to be told has been very impactful and encourages me to keep striving for positive change.

What鈥檚 one leadership lesson you鈥檝e learned in your career?

This position has been a tremendous growth opportunity for me. I call challenges “growth opportunities.” Transitioning from being part of a team to leading that team requires a different approach than stepping into leadership from the outside. It has taught me the importance of meeting people where they are and adapting my leadership style to individual team members.

I鈥檓 always striving to be the best I can be, but I recognize that there鈥檚 always room for improvement. My goal is to be a positive force for change and to make a meaningful impact on the lives of our students.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Dig in. Learn about yourself. Understand your boundaries and how to set them. Make time for yourself. Make time to decompress. Step out of your comfort zone so you can be the change. It all starts with each one of us. Whatever impact you want to make in the world, it鈥檚 important. 

Name something about yourself that most people would be surprised to learn.

One of my guilty pleasures is taking 45 minutes to relax in a salt room. At least once a week, I am in a salt room. It helps me maintain my work-life balance as a leader in higher education.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 鈥� Philippians 4:13

I relied heavily on this quote for strength while working through my doctoral program.”Be the change you wish to see in the world.” 鈥� Gandhi

I believe we all have the power to make a difference, but we have to step up to the challenge. Every day, I strive to be excellent, to be myself, and to be the change I want to see in the world.

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The delegates visited the Office of E-Learning in November as part of a three-week professional exchange to the United States focusing on technological trends in education and online learning.

The delegates, representing diverse roles in education鈥攊ncluding a journalist from Brazil, a vice principal from Jerusalem, and a dean from the Philippines鈥攅ngaged in discussions with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty and staff about shared challenges and innovations in education. Their visit to Arkansas, which was organized by Global Ties Arkansas, connected them with institutions to explore how technology is reshaping learning.

The International Visitor Leadership Program is the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 premier professional exchange program. Current and emerging foreign leaders take short-term visits to the U.S. to cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts in a variety of fields. Participants are nominated and selected by the staff at U.S. embassies around the world.

The participants who visited 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock include:

• Vinicius de Oliveira, a Brazilian journalist who specializes in researching and reporting on innovation in the education sector
• Tena Zganec, a project manager at the Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla, where she works on developing the Croatian deep-tech ecosystem.
• Alem Habte, director of information and communications technology at the Ministry of Education in Eritrea.
• Gideon Olanrewaju, executive director of Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative and director of digital learning and innovation for Digital Technologies for Learning Foundation in Nigeria.
• Mike Farraj, vice principal of Terra Sancta High School in Jerusalem.
• Dorothy Joann Lei Rabajante, dean of the School of Education of Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, Mindana.
• Shaikhkhusrav Ayubov, head of the International Relations Department at the Committee of Youth Affairs in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

During their time on campus, the group explored topics such as integrating technology into curricula, supporting faculty development for online teaching, and engaging students in virtual environments.

鈥淲e had some very enlightening conversations,鈥� said Dr. Sharonda Lipscomb, director of online learning. 鈥淚 shared resources and best practices that I鈥檝e used as an educator to engage with learners from the onset of online instruction. I鈥檝e always found that having students build a community and helping them find commonalities helps students feel connected early on.鈥�

Faith Okeh, an E-Learning graduate assistant, shared a memorable experience from an online class. Okeh鈥檚 insights as a student provided valuable perspectives, particularly on building community in online learning that enhanced the conversation.

鈥淲e found it fascinating to see that educators worldwide share similar challenges,鈥� Lipscomb said. 鈥淓ngaging learners, supporting faculty, and navigating regulations are universal struggles. I was excited to garner new insight from what other leaders are doing in the education field.鈥�

The group also exchanged ideas about partnerships between schools and organizations, teacher training, and leveraging technology to improve education globally. The visit reinforced the value of collaboration and cultural exchange in advancing education for all.

鈥淚t was inspiring to share what we鈥檙e doing at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and to learn from their experiences,鈥� said Amy Brown-Westmoreland, online program coordinator. 鈥淭hese conversations remind us why we do what we do鈥攂etter education benefits everyone. It seems that working in education is similar no matter where you are in the world.鈥�

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With the recent completion of her doctoral degree, Lipscomb is on a mission to bridge the digital divide and empower students with the tools they need to excel in their virtual academic journeys.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited about not only my position but the opportunity to continue to improve the quality of online learning for students at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and beyond through my research,鈥� Lipscomb said. 鈥淚 continue to pursue conference presentations, research, and publication opportunities. I鈥檓 passionate about the online experience of students and want to continue to improve that.鈥�

Lipscomb joined 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2009 as a graduate assistant in the School of Education while she was pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in learning systems technology. From there, she worked as a Blackboard student support specialist and an instructional designer before becoming the director of online learning. She鈥檚 also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Learning Systems Technology Education Program and assists with the K-12 Online Teacher Academy, a grant funded program for student success initiatives for the program’s students.

Lipscomb鈥檚 co-workers and professors encouraged her to continue her education, and she has been working on a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies from the University of North Texas since 2016, a degree which she has recently completed after defending her dissertation this summer.

鈥淚t feels like I could always see light at the end of the tunnel,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had support all along the way from my supervisor, Dr. David Montague, my advisor, Dr. Mike Spector, classmates, and some friends on campus who were also working on their doctoral degrees. It makes you feel very accomplished and blessed to have that final victory.鈥�

Throughout her doctoral studies, Lipscomb investigated the experiences of online students and how they connect with other students.

鈥淚 did a design-based research project to identify elements that support students in an online community,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e know students can connect during an online class, but I wanted to create a separate online space where students can connect outside of class. I surveyed students to look at their perceptions of community and connectedness and what tools and resources they would find useful in an online community.鈥�

Prior to her doctoral coursework, Lipscomb created a prototype community for online students in the Learning Systems Technology Education Program at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. For years, online students have been using the community and giving their feedback on what works, what doesn鈥檛 work, and what鈥檚 needed to make it even better. This led to the subject of her dissertation research at the University of North Texas.

鈥淭he goal is that online students are brought together in this one community,鈥� Lipscomb said. 鈥淲e post all the most important information for our program, such as class syllabi, capstone project information, and portfolio requirements. The students have added information on book swaps, conferences, and job postings. We also have a virtual meeting room where students can connect with other online students.鈥�

Lipscomb said that the creation of the student community could be especially helpful for doctoral students who are at the ABD (all but dissertation) level, meaning they have finished all their academic courses and are actively writing their dissertation.

鈥淪tudents can feel isolated being online, but the dissertation phase can intensify that feeling of isolation,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents who are writing their dissertation could benefit from regular writing sessions with fellow students and contact with student mentors who can give them advice on completing their dissertation. This gives these students a better sense of community as they matriculate their online programs.鈥�

When Lipscomb鈥檚 research is complete, she plans to launch the online student community as a permanent resource for learning systems technology students at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. She will continue to observe the online community and get feedback from students and faculty with the goal of creating a template student community that can easily be replicated for online students in other academic departments and universities.

鈥淭here is additional research that I want to pursue because I want to improve the learning experience of students who are in online programs,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y passion is to ensure online students have the resources, support, and spaces they need to be successful.鈥�

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