HWS News
10 July 2025 • Alums Turning Passion into Practice: MacShara's Path to Digital Engagement
Inspiring classes and hands-on work through Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership provides invaluable opportunities to start a career as a digital engagement officer.
Building off her experience in the Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership program at Hobart and William Smith, Emma MacShara ’22, MHEL ’25 has accepted a job at Ithaca College as the digital engagement officer.
For students in the Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership program, 93% are employed within six months of graduating. Other recent examples include:
In her role, MacShara will build relationships with a portfolio of approximately 1,000 prospects annually, while also managing content creation, multi-channel communications and engagement metrics analysis.
“I firmly believe that the future of an institution depends on the relationships identified, cultivated and maintained with their alumni,” says MacShara. “At a small liberal arts institution, it is critical that time is taken to form meaningful relationships with every alumni who wants to be a part of the future of their alma mater. I could not be more excited that I get to work alongside such an incredible team who feels the same level passion and importance about the work we have to do.”
MacShara graduated with a degree in sociology from HWS and began her career in marketing for the agency NetElixir. Wanting to further her education and change careers, MacShara returned to HWS and enrolled into the MHEL program.
“The two years spent in the MHEL program were essential for me to be able to work effectively in higher education,” says MacShara. “Without the program, I wouldn't be able to support future generations of students, analyze higher education problems critically, or contribute as a committed practitioner to the team I am joining at Ithaca College.”
As a graduate student, MacShara worked in the Office of Student Engagement as a budget management assistant, fulfilling responsibilities including managing expenditure records for offices and overseeing meal plan budgets for theme houses, and as a graduate resident director, overseeing and advising community assistants. She also served worked at the Adams Intercultural Center, coordinating use of the AIC and collaborating on reports for campus and community partners.
“The program has prepared me for this new role not only through the coursework, but also through the required hands-on opportunities it provided me with,” says MacShara. “I was able to take what I was learning in class about crisis management, budgeting, leadership and even law, and then apply that learning to my Graduate Assistantship.”
"The benefit of our program is that it can be tailored to your chosen career path through your research or independent study, or both!" says Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students Becca Morris. "In Emma’s case, her independent study allowed her to explore how younger alumni are maintaining relationships with their institutions, and, paired with her practical experiences, really made her stand out in a crowded employment market."
During her time as an undergraduate student, MacShara was a programming and outreach intern for the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning and a social media and programming intern for the Office of Title IX. Additionally, she was a president of the One Love Club and a member of the Beautiful Minds Club.
