AALHE Member Spotlight

Chris Barnes
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)

Years in Assessment: Over 10 years

Member of the Assessment Learning Exchange (ALE) committee and the Membership Engagement committee

My involvement in Student Affairs – specifically in areas like Residence Life and Student Leadership – during my undergraduate years introduced me to the importance of higher education assessment. I was then reintroduced to higher education assessment as a viable career path when I started my doctoral program and connected with professors and administrators who worked in the profession.

The AALHE membership has helped me connect with assessment professionals nationwide, highlighting that many of us face similar challenges, such as helping others understand the broader significance of assessment beyond accreditation. It has also allowed me to expand my network of colleagues, with whom I can collaborate. My involvement in AALHE began through Penn State's institutional membership, which provided me with the opportunity to engage in the AALHE committees I mentioned above.

The future of assessment is hard to predict with certainty, but one significant shift I have already seen within the profession is the increasing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education. I believe AI has the potential to enhance the efficiency of various aspects of assessment, including the development of high-quality learning objectives and identifying the most effective assessment methods for diverse learning styles.

For those interested in the assessment profession but not yet in it: try not to underestimate yourself or your skills when applying for a position, even if you feel you may not meet every qualification. You may have unique, transferable skills – developed in other professions or areas – that can be an asset and greatly contribute to the field.

For those already in the assessment profession, my advice is to pay it forward. Many assessment professionals, myself included, were introduced to this career through people in our networks while pursuing other paths in education. Because of this, I believe it’s important for us to help others, just as we were helped, by sharing information about higher education assessment as a profession and the valuable career opportunities it offers.

One challenge I faced in the past was not knowing about assessment as a career path until later in life. Many of my prior professional experiences involved components of formal/informal assessment, but I did not know this was an actual career path until more recently.

Everyone who knows me personally knows I’m an avid runner and step counter. I try to walk everywhere I go. I also enjoy spending time with family and traveling across the country and abroad.

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