Levi Shanks

Levi Shanks is the Director of Academic and Student Affairs at the APLU, and a collaborator on several National Science Foundation grants. His research investigates the structure, lifecycle, and purposes of inter-university networks operating in undergraduate STEM education reform in the United States. His scholarly interests center upon exploring interstitial network spaces and the social cohesiveness that drive organized network success, authoring his dissertation on social networks roles in spawning new networks in STEM reform arenas.

Prior to his research, Levi served as a student affairs administrator, working in student conduct, residence life, leadership and service, and co-curricular assessment. He has served on multiple university committees and inter-university support networks acting as the chair of the Bay Area Conduct Officer’s Network (BACON), and a member of the CCPA new professionals committee. In 2014, he was recognized by NASPA – Student Affairs Administrator – Region VI as a new professional of the year for his work in sexual misconduct prevention training and crisis management at the Dominican University of California. Levi earned his Ph.D. (Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education) from Michigan State University, an M.Ed. (College Student Affairs Administration) from the University of Georgia, and two B.S. (Political Science & Spanish) from the University of Louisville.