“The education we provide at Goucher to equip our students to solve complex problems and create a more just and peaceful world is more important than ever, and I’m honored to be working with such talented faculty and staff on that.”
Elaine Meyer-Lee
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Elaine Meyer-Lee has been Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Goucher College since 2020. She was previously Associate Vice President for Global Learning and Leadership Development at Agnes Scott for five years, and Director of the Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership college at Saint Mary’s for 13. Since earning her doctorate in human development and psychology from Harvard in 1999, she has led, taught in, researched, published, and presented widely on international, intercultural, and leadership higher education. She has received grants including a Fulbright in France, and currently serves on the boards of ISEP, American Conference of Academic Deans, and Haverford Corporation. She has consulted to many colleges and is the Editor of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. She currently volunteers with Leadership Baltimore County and has always been active in local city and Quaker governance. She enjoys meditation, hiking, games, music, travel, and dining, especially with her 24-, 26-, and 28-year-old kids.
Publications
Gundolf, G, Meyer-Lee, E., Jackson, R & Peifer, J. (2025) Global Learning for Professional Success: Building Cultural Agility Through an Integrated Global Liberal Arts Curriculum. Chapter in Global Learning at Small Colleges: Diverse Models and Creative Solutions, Purdy, J & Andree, E, editors. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Peifer, J, Taasoobshirazi, G, & Meyer-Lee, E.. (2023) Longitudinal growth in college student self-efficacy and intercultural competence attenuated by anxiety/depression. In Frontiers in Education—Higher Education Section. Volume 8.
Ewing, M. & Meyer-Lee, E. (2023) Working with the Development Office. Chapter in Resource Handbook for Academic Deans, 4th Ed., Adams, A., editor. Johns Hopkins Press.
Mullaney, J. & Meyer-Lee, E. (2023) Department Chair Development and Mentoring. Chapter in Resource Handbook for Academic Deans, 4th Ed., Adams, A., editor. Johns Hopkins Press.
Peifer, J, Meyer-Lee, E, & Taasoobshirazi, G. (2021) Developmental Pathways to Intercultural Competence in College Students. In Journal of Studies in International Education. November.
Graml, G. & Meyer-Lee, E. (2020) From the Grand Tour to Global Journeys: An Integrated Approach to Global Learning. Chapter in CAPA Occasional Publications No. 9: Empires of the Mind? (Post)colonialism and Decolonizing Education Abroad, Woolf, M., editor.
Graml, G, Meyer-Lee, E, & Peifer, J (2020) Decolonizing Global Learning and Internationalization: A Human-scale Case Study of Innovation. Chapter in People-Centered Approaches toward the Internationalization of Higher Education, Malfatti, G, editor.
Peifer, J & Meyer-Lee, E. (2020) “Centering culture in intercultural competence development assessment”. In The Global Impact Exchange. Summer 2020, pp 24-26.
Peifer, J & Meyer-Lee, E. (2019). Getting beyond “It changed my life”: Critical Assessment of Out There Transformation. Chapter in Out there learning: Critical reflections on off-campus study programs, Thorson, H & Owens, C, editors. University of Toronto Press.
Peifer J, Meyer-Lee, E, & Chambers, K. (2017). “Examining the Role of Structural Diversity in Intercultural Competence”. In International Research and Review. Fall (7:1), 2017, pp. 1-10
Meyer-Lee, E. (2017). Thoughts on the intersection of global learning and women’s leadership. ACE NetworkNews, Fall 2017 (newsletter of American Council of Education).
Peifer, J & Meyer-Lee, E. (2017). Global Learning at Agnes Scott College. Chapter in Intercultural Competence in International Higher Education, Deardorff, D. & Arasaratnam-Smith, L., editors. Routledge.
Peifer, J & Meyer-Lee, E. (2017). Program design for Cross-Cultural Development. Chapter in The Guide to Successful Short-Term Programs Abroad, 3rd edition. Spaeth, C. editor NAFSA
Meyer-Lee, E. & Chambers, K. (2015) Using data for improvement and advocacy: A 10-year retrospective on outcomes assessment through multi-method longitudinal studies and institutional data. Chapter in Assessing International Education: Theory, Tools, and Practice, Savicki, V. & Brewer, E. editors. Stylus Press.
External Awards, Honors, Grants
Fulbright Specialist – 2025-2028
Goizueta Foundation, $2.7 million for next phase of SUMMIT emphasizing post-Agnes success
Coca-Cola Foundation, $1.25 million for global awareness and women’s leadership 2017
Mellon Foundation, $250,000 to strengthen digital literacy, 2017
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant, awarded competitive grant for Fulbright International Education Administrators Seminar in France for myself, 2014.
Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, $214,834 for Study of the U.S. Institute for Global Women Leaders, 2012; $250,000 renewal in 2013 and 2014
Fulbright Re-Entry and Leadership seminar for women (Western Hemisphere) 2014; $48,309 Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence from India in Women’s Studies and History, 2012
Small Business Administration, $245,000 for new Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, 2009 (sustained by over $500,000 in solicited donations from local banks and corporations)
Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant in Arabic and/or Mandarin, 2009, 2011, 2012
IFSA Foundation, $40,000 to fund study abroad for students from underrepresented groups, 2006
Invited Talks
Lacy, C., Meyer-Lee, E., McDermott, E., & Szalay, P. "Institutional Storytelling in Partnership with Advancement at Small, Private Colleges." American Conference of Academic Deans Annual Meeting, February 19, 2025, Phoenix, AZ.
Thuswaldner, G, Graml, G, & Meyer-Lee, E. "Divergent Thinking and the “Contrarian” Guide to Innovation." Council of Independent Colleges Chief Academic Officers Institute, November 3, 2024, Portland, OR
Meyer-Lee, E., & Dietrich, A. "Publishing Education Abroad Scholarship with The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad", Forum on Education Abroad, March 21, 2024, Boston, MA
Meyer-Lee, E., Smith, C., & Golland, D. "Navigating the Storm: The Impact of the Israel-Hamas War on Leadership on US Campuses", American Conference of Academic Deans Annual Meeting, February 22, 2024, Tampa, FL.
Meyer-Lee, E, & Moore-Thomas, C. "They Work Hard for the Money: Addressing Faculty Workload, Service, and Compensation", American Conference of Academic Deans Annual Meeting, February 23, 2024, Tampa, FL.
Peifer, J, Meyer-Lee, E, & Taasoobshirazi, G. "Findings from a Racially Informed Longitudinal Study of Student Outcomes of Colleges Focused on Global Learning", American Association of Colleges & Universities annual conference, January 19, 2024, Washington, DC.
Meyer-Lee, E., Leon-Garcia, F., & Gayles, J., "Leadership Excellence: Key Priorities for Today’s Inclusive Education Leaders", NAFSA Annual Conference, May 31, 2023, Washington DC.
Graml, G, Meyer-Lee, E., & Thomas, R., "Building Trust and Community among Faculty to Support and Sustain Innovation", American Conference of Academic Deans, February 24, 2023,Tampa, FL
Meyer-Lee, E., McCain, K., & Sherman-Heckler, W. "Examples Of Forward-Looking Excellence", Council of Independent Colleges Chief Academic Officers Institute, November 8, 2022, Dallas, TX
Peifer, J., Meyer-Lee, E. & Taasoobshirazi, G. "Culturally-Aware Developmental Pathways to Intercultural Competence in College Students." Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Annual Meeting, September 22, 2022. Arlington, VA
Meyer-Lee, E, Boyd F., Palucki-Blake, L, & Peters, E. "No More Truth Bombs! A roundtable on using assessment data to sustain campus discussions", HEDS Roundtable, September 8, 2022
Meyer-Lee, E., Crowley, C., Anderson, M, & Johnson, L. "Breaking Down Barriers to a Whole-Campus Approach", Chronicle of Higher Education Virtual Panel on Student Success, July 12, 2022
Peifer, J., & Meyer-Lee, E. "The Implicit Assumption of Whiteness in Measures of Intercultural Competence" at Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (Division 9 of the American Psychological Association) Annual Conference, June 25, 2022, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Peifer, J., & Meyer-Lee, E. "Travel and Campus-Based Pathways to Global Learning", at NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo, June 1, 2022, Denver, CO
Fan, C., Meyer-Lee, E., Moriconi, R. "U.S. Government Collaboration with Higher Education Institutions: Advancing International Education", at NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo, June 2, 2022, Denver, CO
Peifer, J., Meyer-Lee, E, Taasoobshirazi, G. "Multiple Pathways to Intercultural Competence in the COVID-19 Era", Forum on Education Abroad Annual Conference, March 21, 2022.
Meyer-Lee, E. Mullaney, J, Keys, J, Geraty, K. "From Surviving to Thriving: A Holistic Approach to Mentoring Department Chairs" at American Conference of Academic Deans, February 24, 2022, St. Petersburg, FL
Meyer-Lee, E., Ewing, M., Morphew, C, & Charles, R. "Effective Collaboration with Advancement in the New Normal", American Conference of Academic Deans, February 24, 2022, St. Petersburg, FL
Meyer-Lee, E & Harvey, M. "Reckoning with racism and colonialism in our institutional histories: Lessons learned", at American Association of Colleges & Universities Annual Conference, January 21, 2022, Washington, D.C.
Meyer-Lee, E., Keynote panelist for Global Senior Leadership Symposium sponsored by AIEA, Forum on Education Abroad, and EF, December 16, 2021.
Link, H, Cushman, J, & Meyer-Lee E. "Pathways from SIO to President, Chancellor, or Provost" at the AIEA Annual Conference, February 17, 2021.
Meyer-Lee, E & Dey, F. "Preparing for the Upended World of Work", Chronicle of Higher Education Webinar, November 11, 2020.
Meyer-Lee, E & Morris, K. "Support for Student Mental Health", Council of Independent Colleges Chief Academic Officers Institute, November 10, 2020.
Meyer-Lee, E. & Clevenger, A. "The Future of International Education: Why Agility is Now Integral to Strategic Planning." Invited presentation for AIEA Town Hall, August 19, 2020.
Meyer-Lee, E. "Moving Beyond Performative Allyship – Dismantling Systemic Racism in Global Education" at the Think Forward Summit of the Diversity Abroad Conference, August 10, 2020.
Meyer-Lee, E., Jackson, R., & Graml, G. "Liberal Education Cultivating Racial Justice: A General Education Case Study" at Nineteenth Annual Conversation on the Liberal Arts, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, February 27-29, 2020.
Graml, G. & Meyer-Lee, E. "It Starts with a Journey: Study-Abroad as a Catalyst for Building Multicultural Competencies" at National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference, Savannah, GA, February 7-8, 2020.
Meyer-Lee, E. "Reimagined Liberal Arts Education for the 21st Century", invited panel on “Global Learning at Small Colleges: Diverse Models and Creative Solutions” at International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence, Tucson, AZ, January 23-26, 2020.
Meyer-Lee, E., Russell, E., and Gaunder, A. "After Curricular Redesign: Overcoming the Obstacles to Implementing Curricular Reform." Association of American Colleges & Universities Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 22-25, 2020.
Pitchford, N., Meyer-Lee, E., Peterson, K., & Booth, M. "Sustaining Institutional Transformation Initiatives Over Time", Association of American Colleges & Universities Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 22-25, 2020.
Academic or Professional Associations
Maryland Higher Education Commission Program Review Process Advisory Council of Presidents and Provosts, member, 2024-present
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, Editor, 2022-present
College Advisory Board of the Institute for American Universities, 2021-present
Haverford College Corporation, Member, 2020-present
American Conference of Academic Deans, Board member, 2020-present
International Student Exchange Program, Board member, 2020-present
Association of International Education Administrators, Senior Advisor, 2020-2021
NAFSA: The Association of International Educators
President and Chair of the Board of Directors, 1/2017-12/2018, Board member 1/2014-12/2018
International Education Leadership (IEL) Knowledge Community leadership team, 2010-2013 Annual Conference Committee, 2011-2012, 2013-2014
Chair of the Women’s College & University Institutional Interest Group, 2010-2011
Diversity Abroad, Conference Committee, 2018-2019
Fulbright Scholar Program Peer Reviewer, U.S. State Department, 2015-2018
U.S. State Department Critical Language Scholarship Program Advisory Board, 2010-2014
American Council on Education Internationalization Advisory Board, 2010-2014
National Council for Research on Women member, won Diversity and Inclusion Award, 2012
Forum on Education Abroad, Member of the Outcomes Assessment Committee, 2004-2010
Other Professional or Scholarly Activity
External Evaluator/On-campus Consultant for Gettysburg College, Dickinson College, Southwest University, and Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia, 2024; Bennett College, 2021; Franklin & Marshall and Dickinson College, 2020; Mills College, Dominican University of California, and Saint Mary’s College 2017, Kalamazoo College 2016, University of Portland 2013, Wilson College in 2011 and Arcadia University 2008.
Forum on Education Abroad, Carlisle, PA
Peer Reviewer for Quality Improvement Program, 2015-present
Academic Leadership Council of Saudi Ministry of Higher Education, 2011 to 2013 Presenter of workshops for Academic Deans and Department Chairs on Faculty recruitment, development, evaluation, and mentoring