Profile

Jennifer Lisa Stephan MPES Cohort 2, Multidisciplinary Program in Education Sciences 626 Library Place Room 10 Evanston, IL 60208-4120 Phone: (847) 491-8741

Biography

Jennifer Stephan is a doctoral candidate in Human Development and Social Policy. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Vassar College and a master’s degree in economics from Princeton University. Before coming to Northwestern, Jennifer worked as a research analyst, most recently at a business consulting firm. There, she managed survey-based research design and the application, evaluation, and interpretation of statistical procedures. Her primary research interest is to understand adolescents’ decisions about postsecondary education and work, and the influence of social contexts—including families, schools, and peers—on those decisions. Through this work, she seeks ways to improve the information, guidance, and incentives schools and policymakers provide students to help them formulate and implement educational and occupational plans. Jennifer currently works with Professor Jim Rosenbaum studying the transition from high school to college. 

Curriculum Vitae

View Jennifer Stephan's CV.

Awards/Honors

2009 - Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship

2009 - AERA Dissertation Grant (declined)

2009 - AIR Dissertation Grant (declined)

Research/Scholarship
Education

Year		Degree		Institution
2006		MA, Human Dev & Social Pol		Northwestern University
1998		MA, Economics		Princeton University
1995		BA, Economics		Vassar College

Selected Publications

Stephan, Jennifer L. and James E. Rosenbaum (2009). Permeability and Transparency in the High School-College Transition in Plank, D.; Sykes, G.; Schneider, B. , AERA Handbook on Education Policy Research.

Spillane, James P., White, Kathryn Weitz, and Jennifer L. Stephan (2009). School Principal Expertise: Putting Expert-Aspiring Principal Differences in Problem Solving Processes to the Test. Leadership and Policy in Schools: 8:128-151.

Stephan, Jennifer L., Rosenbaum, James E., and Ann E. Person (2009). Stratification in College Entry and Completion. Social Science Research: 38(3): 572-593.

Goble, Lisbeth J., Rosenbaum, James E., and Jennifer L. Stephan (2008). Do Instiutional Attributes Predict Individuals' Degree Success at Two-year Colleges?. New Directions in Community College Research: 63-72.

Rosenbaum, James E., Redline, Julie, and Jennifer L. Stephan (2007). Community College: The Unfinished Revolution. Issues in Science and Technology: 49-56.

Selected Presentations

Stephan, Jennifer L. and James E. Rosenbaum (2009). Beyond Blaming Students: How School Programs May Reduce Gaps in the College Enrollment Process. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. San Francisco, CA.

Rosenbaum, James. E., Hallberg, Kelly, Stephan, Jennifer L., Goble, Lisbeth J., and Michelle Naffziger (2009). Institutional Assumptions in the College Application Process in High- and Low-SES High Schools. Presented at the Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA.

Stephan, Jennifer L., Goble, Lisbeth J., and James E. Rosenbaum (2008). Transparency Barriers to College for Low-Income Students: Beyond Aspirations and Student Deficiencies. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Boston, MA.

Stephan, Jennifer L., Goble, Lisbeth J., and James E. Rosenbaum (2008). Barriers to College for Low-SES Students. Presented at the Institute for Education Sciences Research Conference. Washington, DC.

Stephan, Jennifer L. and James E. Rosenbaum (April, 2007). College Type Effects on Degree Completion: A Propensity Score Analysis. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Chicago, IL.

Stephan, Jennifer L. and James E. Rosenbaum (April, 2007). Permeability and Transparency in the High School- College Transition. Accepted at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Chicago, IL.

Person, Ann E., Stephan, Jennifer L., and James E. Rosenbaum (November, 2006). Testing a "Commuter" Model of Persistence among Two-year College Students. Presented at the Annual Conference of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. Anaheim, CA.

Stephan, Jennifer L. and James E. Rosenbaum (August, 2006). Do Some Colleges Improve Students' Chances of Completing Degrees? How Propensity Scores Change the Question. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Montreal, Canada.

Stephan, Jennifer L. and James E. Rosenbaum (June, 2006). Do Community Colleges Hurt Students’ Chances of Completing Degrees?. Presented at the Institute for Education Sciences. Washington, DC.

Rosenbaum, James E. and Jennifer L. Stephan (August, 2005). College Degree Completion: Institutional Effects and Student Propensity. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Philadelphia, PA.

Research Interests

Gaps in the college enrollment process; factors promoting success in higher education; education policy and the high school-college transition