Sara Stein Koch
Institute Fellow and Senior Associate for Institutional Support
Sara Stein Koch‘s current work with the Institute involves advising in the various processes connected with institutional transformation to increase equitable student success. She advises institutions in Excellence in Academic Advising, Foundations of Excellence First-Year and Transfer, Gateways to Completion, and Retention Performance Management processes. She also coordinates the curriculum for the Symposiums. Sara was involved in the development of the Gateways to Completion process, the Excellence in Academic Advising Process, development and administration of the two year National Survey on Student Success practices, and strategic planning for the Institute.
Sara Stein Koch served as the Director of Undergraduate Programs for the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University prior to joining the Institute. Her role included the administration and operation of the undergraduate business school program of 2700+ undergraduate students. Her oversight included the areas of curriculum administration, teaching the Management 101 survey course, Academic Advising, Career Services, Recruitment, and the creation and operation of the Undergraduate Management Communication Center. At the heart of the Center was its outreach, curricular connection, and development of programs and coaching for undergraduate students to improve their professional development and communication skills. Her efforts to engage students in case competition teams is her legacy at Krannert.
While at Purdue, Sara also served as a Senior Consultant with Organization and Career Development in Human Resources at Purdue University. Her consulting focused on the process of talent development and retention, managing change, performance management, and strategic planning design. Throughout her career Sara has been certified as a SHRM Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR); Harvard Mutual Gains Negotiator, Linkage Inc. Human Resource consultant, Blessing White™ facilitator, Zenger Miller™ facilitator, and Targeted Selection™ administrator.
Sara has also developed and taught undergraduate courses on Conference Leadership, Human Resource Issues, and Critical Thinking for the School of Technology at Purdue University. In addition, she appeared frequently to guest lecture classes on teamwork, interviewing, conflict, and communication in Civil Engineering, Management, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Her early career work in student affairs took her from the University of South Carolina to Hamilton College and Pratt Institute.
She earned her BS in Business Administration at Winthrop College, Master’s in Education from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University.
Sara and her husband Drew have six children, Andrejs, Maks, Hunter, Hudson, Grayson, and Lauren. Though she was born and raised in New York, she has lived in Florida, Tokyo, New York City, Indiana and she now resides in the Asheville area of North Carolina. On weekends, you can find her hiking in the National forests surrounding the area.
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