Bill Burress

Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow

Bill presenting at the Celebrate SoTL showcase with colleagues Jeffrey Carpenter and Heidi Hollingsworth

Bill Burress is the Center for Research on Global Engagement (CRGE) pre-doctoral research fellow as well as the Director of Assessment & Accreditation for the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education (DJWWSOE) at Elon University. Bill brings the perspective of many years of experience in international programs and academic administration combined with research interests in student learning, community engagement, and disciplinary applications of global engagement.

Education & Work History

Bill’s academic background is varied and reflects Bill’s curiosity and broad interests. He studied history, religion, & philosophy as an undergraduate at Presbyterian College in South Carolina. After enjoying a working holiday in Edinburgh, UK, he pursued his MEd at Clemson University, joining Elon University’s Isabella Cannon Global Education Center (GEC) as an advisor upon completion. Bill worked in the GEC for 14 years, serving thousands of Elon students who participated in study abroad and Study USA programs as well as international students studying at Elon from around the world. During this time, he also earned his MBA from Elon’s Love School of Business.

Bill currently serves as the Director of Assessment & Accreditation for the DJWWSOE, where he collaborates with faculty and staff to gather and organize the information necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the degree programs within the DJWWSOE. Bill is currently pursuing his PhD in International Higher Education through the Center for Higher Education Internationalisation at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy. In addition to formal degree programs, Bill has also studied data analytics and Italian language & culture. He is proficient in Italian.

Bill & wife Emma enjoying date night at their favorite vacation destination of Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Research Interests

Bill’s research interests are predominantly focused on the impacts and implications of international experiences for students. His PhD project focuses on the long-term outcomes of study abroad participation in terms of teachers’ classroom practices. In addition, he is collaborating with colleagues in the DJWWSOE on a related project on the impact of international field experiences on pre-service teachers. Other projects include a collaboration with colleagues at Elon and at Elon’s partner organization Accademia Europea di Firenze on community-based learning in global contexts, and research on global engagement in the disciplines.

Personal Life

At home, Bill is a proud husband and father of three. He enjoys cooking, working in the yard (before July when the humidity sets in), attempting to grow lemons and vegetables, Italian literature, traveling, walking the dogs, and motor racing.