Higher Learning Commission

Purnima “Pam” Sharma, vice president for planning, institutional effectiveness, and research at West Virginia Northern Community College, has many accomplishments worthy of mention. A recognized teacher, scholar and higher education administrator, Sharma believes her decision to become an HLC peer reviewer in 2016 is one of the highlights of her professional career. Not only does she advocate for the volunteer peer review effort as time well spent. Sharma also marvels at all one can learn and the many skills that can be mastered as a member of HLC’s Peer Corps.  

When and how did you first learn about accreditation?  

In 2003, my institution was preparing for a 10-year accreditation visit from HLC, and I was actively involved in the process. That is when I first learned about the process and all of the hard work that goes into an accreditation review.  

How do you explain your work with HLC to people who aren't familiar with accreditation, in 10 words or less?  

Evaluation and validation of the quality of education and resources. 

Why did you want to get involved with HLC? 

In 2016, while serving as Division Chair of the Liberal Arts, Communications, and Social Sciences at West Virginia Northern Community College, I was asked to oversee program assessment of student learning. To prepare for the task, I attended HLC’s Assessment Academy and felt after the Academy that I could continue learning and sharing my experiences in a peer-to-peer environment. That was the beginning of my continued involvement with HLC.  

What aspects of your background have been particularly helpful in your work with HLC?  

My background in system design, research and analysis, and proposal review was most helpful in my role as a peer reviewer. It helped me understand the context and intent of the accreditation criteria, evidence evaluation, and making recommendations for improvement.  

What have you learned from working with HLC that's been beneficial to you?  

I became a peer reviewer with HLC in 2016, and have been attending HLC’s annual conference and peer reviewer workshops since 2017. I served as an HLC Annual Conference Advisory Committee member from 2020 through 2022. I also trained to be a federal compliance reviewer for HLC in 2022. Working with HLC peer reviewers on accreditation reports and visits has been an invaluable experience. It prepared me to lead my own institution’s reaffirmation of accreditation efforts. It also taught me how to facilitate discussions and sift through evidence in order to arrive at institutional data and priorities that align with the intent and spirit of accreditation. My time as an Annual Conference Advisory Committee member also was worthwhile. I learned about the rigorous process that goes into conference presentations and poster selection. Our Team Chair Jan Smith was an exemplary facilitator.  She respected diverse opinions and excelled at consensus building, which engaged me as a committee member.  

What has been one of your most memorable experiences working with HLC?  

My most memorable experience working with HLC has been mentoring colleagues from various institutions preparing for an accreditation visit.  

How do you find the time to volunteer with HLC?  

I believe in the adage, "you will always find time for the things you feel are important" and community service has always been one of my passions. I have volunteered as a science-fair judge at area high schools, colleges and universities, and served as a Phi Theta Kappa advisor for over ten years. I have been a member and chapter chair of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. I have been involved with the United Way Day of Caring and also with summer camps for middle-school students. My time as an HLC volunteer has been important for my growth as a professional. It has provided me with opportunities to interact with peers and colleagues who have a goal of continuously improving higher education. That, to me, is worth my time and effort. 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?  

As a kid, I enjoyed changing landscapes and visiting new places. As I look back now, I know that this inclination represents a drive to always seek new opportunities to explore, learn and experience. That is what I have done during a career spanning more than 30 years at West Virginia Northern Community College where I have had many roles including tenured professor of physics and mathematics, division chair of the liberal arts, interim vice president of academic affairs, dean of academic affairs, and now vice president for planning, institutional effectiveness and research. This trajectory, to me, most resembles my childhood interest in always exploring, learning and experiencing, and I am pleased to be a contributor in the field of higher education, which is always evolving and changing.   

What is your greatest career or life achievement so far?  

I have several teaching excellence and innovator of the year awards. I have earned certification as a Quality Matters master reviewer, program reviewer and workshop facilitator, which has led me to review national and international online courses and programs.  I also was an early adopter and scholar of distance education and technology, which led to my being invited by the first lady of West Virginia, Gayle Manchin, to present at a state conference on distance education technology, and selected to present a paper on Facilitation and Student Retention in Online Courses at a Blackboard World Conference in Barcelona. These may be honors worth mentioning. The career achievement I am most proud of, though, is my design and implementation of an institutional effectiveness framework for facilitating data-informed improvements. This effort resulted in a successful accreditation visit at my institution earlier this year. It is also a project I will continue to work on going forward.  

What's your favorite part of being a member of the HLC community?  

Being a part of the HLC community means continued professional growth, collaboration opportunities, and enriched professional relationships with colleagues and peers.