Dr. Dennis McCunney

Department: Center for Student Success
Office: Mendenhall Student Center 224
Office Phone: 252-328-2802
Email Address: mccunneyw@ecu.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmccunney/
Teaching Areas: Leadership Studies; Adult Education; Higher Education
Research Interests: Community-based learning, global learning, regional development, leadership development, experiential education, student success initiatives

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Dr. Dennis McCunney works in ECU’s Center for Student Success and serves as adjunct faculty member within ECU’s leadership studies minor, master of adult education program, and master of public administration program, and higher education leadership doctoral program. Dr. McCunney earned his PhD in higher education administration from Morgan State University and his dissertation focus was on the formation of student culture around civic engagement, leadership and activism.

Dr. McCunney has presented his research in various arenas, including the American Educational Research Association, Global Service-Learning Summit, Engagement Scholarship Consortium, Society for Experiential Education, Leadership Educators Institute, AAC&U, AASCU, Community-Based Global Learning Collaborative, and the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement. Recent publications include articles in AAC&U’s Diversity & Democracy (special issue on undergraduate public health), Metropolitan Universities Journal, Gateways International Journal, Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, eJournal of Public Affairs, Journal of Higher Education Outreach & Engagement, and Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. He serves on the board of directors for AllPeopleBeHappy, a global learning nonprofit.

Dr. McCunney’s Online Materials

Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

Course Syllabi

Recent Publications & Professional Activities

Podcast: “Stories from Here to Everywhere” — Community-Based Global Learning Collaborative
Book Chapter: McCunney, D. & Ihuka, V. (2026, forthcoming). “Wisdom in Words: Harnessing Nigerian Proverbs to Inform Cross-Cultural Leadership for Public Good.” In Proverbs and Riddles for Leadership: Building Bridges for Practice from Africa. Cambridge, Mass: International Leadership Association, Emerald Publishing.
Book Chapter: McCunney, D. & McNair, J. (2026, forthcoming). “Driving Regional Transformation with Strong Local Roots: Equity, Engagement, and Evolution in Eastern North Carolina.” In Navigating Campus-Community Relationships: How Colleges and Universities Engage with Demographic Change. Boston, MA: Campus Compact Press.
Book Chapter: McCunney, D. (2026, forthcoming). “‘Someone invested in me’: An exploration of global fair trade learning experiences in support of student retention and engagement.” In Cocreating Practices of Access to Higher Ed Through Public Engagement. Wilmington, DE: Vernon Press.
Digital Monograph: McCunney, D. (2026). Someone invested in me: Global fair trade learning experiences in support of student retention and engagement. NASPA Global Division Research & Practice Publication (Vol. 1).

Peer-Reviewed Article: Harriger, R., Hough, T., Maxwell, K., McCunney, D., Trager, B. (2025). Building Bridges: A Collective Case Study of an Experiential Education Boundary Spanning Framework in Action. Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 18: 2, 1–15.
Peer-Reviewed Article: Avila, E., Harriger, R., McCunney, D., & Trager, B. (2024). Exploring the Impact of Institutional Context on Experiential Education in Higher Education. Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 7(3).
Peer-Reviewed Article: McCunney, Dennis, et al. (2023) “A special topic class in chemistry on feminism and science as a tool to disrupt the dysconscious racism in STEM,” Journal of Chemical Education: Vol 100, 112-117.
Book Chapter: Lee, J.J., & McCunney, D. (2021). Teaching democracy: the role of public institutions in promoting civic learning. New Directions for Higher Education, 2021, 115– 122.
Peer-Reviewed Article: McCunney, Dennis PhD; Tuchmayer, Jeremy PhD; and Kermiet, Tara (2020) “Managing ‘send her back’: civil discourse and educating for democracy as campus culture,” eJournal of Public Affairs: Vol. 9 : No. 1 , Article 3.
Editorial: Rudham, G., Hilton, A., Beale, T., & McCunney, D. (Nov. 6, 2020). Doing the Real Work in Higher Education Amidst Two Pandemics. Diverse issues in higher education. Fairfax, VA: Cox, Matthews & Associates.
Peer-Reviewed Article: McCunney, D., White, B.A., Davis, C.E., & Howard, J. (2019). Preparing students for what lies ahead: Teaching dental public health leadership with simulated community partners. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education.
Digital Monograph: McCunney, D., Reynolds, N., Sabato, E., & Young, R. (Summer 2019). Promoting cultural humility in global health: Lessons from a multi-institutional community of practice. AAC&U Diversity & Democracy.
Peer-Reviewed Article: McCunney, D. (2017). “Shaped by Campus Culture: Intersections between transformative learning, civic engagement, and institutional mission,” Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement: Vol. 21, No. 3, p. 61-69.
Book Chapter: McCunney, D. & Gettto, G. (2015). “Inclusive Assessment: Towards a Socially Just Methodology for Measuring Institution-wide Engagement.” Metropolitan Universities Journal, 26(2), 9-24.
Peer-Reviewed Article: Dickinson, M.L. & McCunney, D. (2013). “Community-Campus Partnerships and Student Learning: Using Lessons Learned to Chart a Path for the Future.” Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal Vol. 2: No. 2.