Dr. Waugaman has spent her entire career working and advocating for institutions of higher education. She began that professional journey as a strategic communications professional in academic affairs and advancement units at Montgomery College, a 24,000-student community college in suburban Washington, DC. She then relocated to Clemson University to pursue a full-time Ph.D. in Educational Leadership-Higher Education where she worked as a research teaching assistant in the College of Education. After graduation she worked in Academic Affairs at Clemson University, first as the university faculty governance coordinator in the Faculty Senate Office and then as the faculty affairs project director in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. In August of 2023 she joined Furman's Faculty Development Center to further advance faculty career development.

Her research interests center on the academic profession, specifically on promotion and tenure, faculty career trajectories and development, college teaching and learning, and student learning assessment. Her dissertation research examined the faculty experiences of pre-tenure, tenure-track faculty at teaching-focused comprehensive universities around the country.

In addition to her Ph.D. she has earned a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from The University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in English from Baldwin Wallace University.

Honors and Awards

• 2021-2022 Participant of Clemson University’s CU Grow Program – Member of university’s prestigious, competitive staff leadership development program, which recognizes promising, aspiring leaders and fosters talent development
• 2018 Clemson University Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium Second Place Poster Session Award, College of Education – Research award for outstanding poster session
• 2017 Clemson University College of Education Graduate Student Award of Excellence – Annual award for outstanding college-level teaching, presented as part of the 2017 College of Education Research Forum
• 2017 Clemson University College of Education Graduate Student Travel Grant Recipient – Competitive travel grant for the presentation of peer-reviewed research at national or international professional conferences
• 2016 Clemson University College of Education Graduate Student Travel Grant Recipient – Competitive travel grant for the presentation of peer-reviewed research at national or international professional conferences
• 2014-2015: Clemson University R.C. Edwards Research Fellowship – Merit recruitment award for superior doctoral scholarship potential, $10,000 award from the Clemson Graduate School
• 2013: Team Effort Award – Leadership award for outstanding contributions to Montgomery College’s Middle States Commission for Higher Education Reaccreditation Periodic Review Report
• 2013: Staff Appreciation Award – Merit award for outstanding leadership as co-chair of the Montgomery College Online Catalog Advisory Committee
• 2012: Outstanding Master’s Student, University of Maryland College of Education, Honorable Mention I – Merit award for outstanding scholarship in The University of Maryland’s Higher Education Administration Program
• 2012: Terp Award – Annual commencement award for exemplary academic achievements and service to the University of Maryland Higher Education Administration Program

Education

• Ph.D., Clemson University
• M.A., The University of Maryland
• B.A., Baldwin Wallace University