Strategies to Engage Online Students and Reduce Attrition Rates

Author Biographies

Lorraine M. Angelino is a Doctoral Student in Educational Leadership, Clemson University. Ms. Angelino received her Bachelor in Engineering Technology at University of South Florida in 1988, BS in Management Information Systems at University of South Florida in 1994, and MBA with a Certificate in International Business at University of South Florida in 1996. She currently teaches online courses in Financial Aspect of Health Care Management and Legal and Financial Issues of Health Care at Lander University. Her research interests focus on distance education, online learning, student engagement, and leadership succession. Ms. Angelino can be reached at langelino@lander.edu.

Frankie Keels Williams, PhD is Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and coordinator of the doctoral program for the higher education concentration in Educational Leadership at Clemson University.  Dr. Williams received her B.S. in Business Education from Winthrop University in 1974, Rock Hill, South Carolina, and her M.Ed. in Business Education from South Carolina State University in 1978, in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Dr. Williams received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina. Currently, Dr. Williams teaches several online courses to doctoral students including Principles of Leadership, Foundations of Higher Education, The Two-Year College, and History of Higher Education. Her research interests include P-16 transitions, instructional delivery via distance education, and diversity issues.

Deborah Natvig, PhD is Professor of Health Care Management at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. Dr. Natvig received her B.S. in Nursing from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1971, her M.S. in Health in 1977, and her MSN from the University of Florida in 1989.  She received her Ph.D. in Nursing Administration from the Medical College of Georgia in 1993. Previously she taught nursing leadership and management, nursing research, and wellness for the School of Nursing at Lander University. Currently she teaches Foundations of Health Care Management, Health Care Delivery Systems, Special Topics in Health Care, Principles of Health Care Management, and Supervision and Human Resource Management for the Department of Business Administration. She established the online Health Care Management Certificate program at Lander University in 2002. Her research interests focus on group process, interdisciplinary decision making, job satisfaction, and life long learning.