Dani Hiar, Ed.D.

Dani Hiar, Ed.D.

Coordinator, Student Success Initiatives
Dean's Office
Phone: (231) 591-2481
Email: [email protected]

Education

• EdD, Central Michigan University, Educational Leadership, Higher Education
• CSAEd, Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification, Student Affairs Educator
• EdS, Central Michigan University, Educational Leadership, Higher Education
• MEd, Grand Valley State University, College Student Affairs Leadership, Higher Education
• BFA, Grand Valley State University, Graphic Design
• AAS, Northwestern Michigan College, Commerical Art

Biography

Dr. Dani Hiar is a veteran higher education professional at Ferris State University, a Student Affairs professional, graphic designer and marketing specialist and former wanna be veterinarian. As a first-generation college student, Dani pushed through challenges and barriers to earn five degrees (an AAS, BFA, MEd, EdS and an EdD). During her 25+ plus years as professional in higher education, she has leaned into to all of her previous experiences to help create programs, pathways and opportunities for college students to have access and success both inside and outside of the classroom. Dani has built leadership programs, extended orientation programs, oversaw student programming boards and large-scale campus events, advised Greek life and other student organizations, spent time as an area coordinator for on campus housing, recruited graduate students and supported thousands of college students over the years. Dr. Hiar is currently working with student success initiatives and the Ferris Equity Initiative which seeks to identify systemic barriers to education and decrease equity gaps for students at Ferris. When Dani isn’t investing her time on campus, she’s working on home-improvements projects, gaming or hanging out with her chocolate Labrador, Theory.

Presentations

• Keynote/Plenary Address
  Bentley, J. (Author & Presenter), Zaborowski, M. (Author), Hiar, D. (Author), 37th Annual Meeting, "Metrics that matter: Leveraging data for insight, action, advocacy, and advancement," Association of Deans and Directors of University Colleges and Undergraduate Studies, Tempe, AZ, (April 11, 2024).
• Oral Presentation
  Bentley, J. (Author & Presenter), Hiar, D. (Author & Presenter), Academic Affairs Briefing, "Ferris Equity Initiative and Navigate360," Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI, (March 20, 2024).
• Webinar
  Ryan, A. (Presenter), Buys, A. M. (Presenter), Hiar, D. (Presenter), Kickoff Week 2023, "Navigate: Leveraging Ferris’s Student Success Management System (SSMS) to Support Our Students," Ferris State University, Zoom, (August 22, 2023).