Sandra Estanek, PhD

Dr. Estanek’s career in higher education spans over 40 years as both a faculty member and student affairs administrator, including as a vice president for student affairs for 16 years. She served as the director of the HESAA program from 2002 until 2018 when she retired from full time teaching. She continues to teach part time in the program and to pursue her own research interests. Dr. Estanek's research speciality is the practice of student affairs at Catholic colleges and universities. She is a nationally respected expert in this area with multiple publications and awards. In 2021-22, Dr. Estanek served as the interim vice president for student affairs at Canisius University. Dr. Estanek is currently serving as the interim vice president for mission integration leading the Office of Mission and Ministry and working on many initiatives related to our Jesuit, Catholic identity. 

Awards

Some of Dr. Estanek's awards are:

• Presidents' Distinguished Service Award (Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities)
• JASPA Scholarship Award (Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators)
• Sandra M. Estanek, Ph.D. Young Alumni Award named in her honor (Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities)
• Diamond Honoree (ACPA: College Student Educators International)
• Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member (NASPA: Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education Region II)

Publications

Some of Dr. Estanek's publications are:

Student Life in Catholic Higher Education: Advancing Good Practice (2017)
"Preparation of New Professionals and Mission Driven Hiring Practices" (2011)
"Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities" (2010)
Reading the Signs: Using Case Studies to Discuss Student Life Issues at Catholic Colleges and Universities (2008)
Rethinking Student Affairs Practice (2004)